Vehicular driver monitoring system with driver monitoring camera and near ir light emitter at interior rearview mirror assembly

ABSTRACT

A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a driver monitoring camera and first and second near-infrared light emitting elements accommodated by a mirror head. The light emitting elements are oriented at the mirror head so that (i) a beam of light emitted by the first light emitting element would be directed toward a driver&#39;s region of a left hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the LHD vehicle, and (ii) a beam of light emitted by the second light emitting element would be directed toward a driver&#39;s region of a right hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the RHD vehicle. The system enables and/or operates the first or second light emitting element for a driver monitoring function responsive to indication that the mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 63/363,598, filed Apr. 26, 2022, U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 63/267,316, filed Jan. 31, 2022, U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 63/262,642, filed Oct. 18, 2021, U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 63/260,359, filed Aug. 18, 2021, and U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 63/201,757, filed May 12, 2021, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of interiorrearview mirror assemblies for vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a mirror assembly that is adjustably mounted toan interior portion of a vehicle, such as via a double ball pivot orjoint mounting configuration where the mirror casing and reflectiveelement are adjusted relative to the interior portion of a vehicle bypivotal movement about the double ball pivot configuration. The mirrorcasing and reflective element are pivotable about either or both of theball pivot joints by a user that is adjusting a rearward field of viewof the reflective element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An interior rearview mirror assembly has a driver monitoring camera anda near infrared light emitter disposed at the mirror head so as to movein tandem with the mirror head when the mirror head is adjusted relativeto an interior portion of the vehicle to adjust the driver's rearwardview. The camera views the interior cabin of the vehicle through themirror reflective element and the near infrared light emitter emits nearinfrared light through the mirror reflective element to illuminate thedriver region and/or passenger region of the interior cabin of thevehicle. The near infrared light emitter comprises at least a firstlight emitting element and a second light emitting element. The firstlight emitting element is oriented at the mirror head so that aprincipal axis of a beam of light emitted by the first light emittingelement would be directed toward a driver's region of a left hand drivevehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the left hand drivevehicle and adjusted to provide the driver of the left hand drivevehicle a rearward view, while the second light emitting element isoriented at the mirror head so that a principal axis of a beam of lightemitted by the second light emitting element would be directed toward adriver's region of a right hand drive vehicle if the mirror assemblywere installed in the right hand drive vehicle and adjusted to providethe driver of the right hand drive vehicle a rearward view. The controlcircuitry is operable to enable the first light emitting element or thesecond light emitting element responsive to indication (such as via asignal from a remote device at the mirror assembly plant or at thevehicle or at the vehicle assembly plant or the like) that the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in aleft hand drive vehicle or a right hand drive vehicle. The light emitteris thus software enabled to adapt a common mirror assembly forapplication to a left hand drive vehicle or to a right hand drivevehicle.

Thus, when the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installedor will be installed in a left hand drive vehicle, the first nearinfrared light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emitslight for a driver monitoring function, and when the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a righthand drive vehicle, the second near infrared light emitter, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emits light for the drivermonitoring function. When the respective first or second near infraredlight emitter is electrically powered for the driver monitoringfunction, the other near infrared light emitter is not electricallypowered for the driver monitoring function.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interior rearview mirror assemblyhaving a driver monitoring camera and a near infrared light emitter;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the interior rearview mirrorassembly, showing the DMS camera and light emitters behind thereflective element;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a mirror head of the interior rearview mirrorassembly;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another mirror head of the interior rearviewmirror assembly;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the interior rearview mirrorassembly of FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the portion of the mirror head thataccommodates the near infrared light emitters, with the near infraredlight emitters comprising narrow beam emitters and wider beam emitters;

FIG. 7 is a schematic of the interior cabin of a left hand drivevehicle, showing the narrow beam emitters illuminating the driver'shead;

FIG. 8 is a schematic of the interior cabin of a right hand drivevehicle, showing the narrow beam emitters not illuminating the driver'shead;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are plan views of other mirror heads of the interiorrearview mirror assembly;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the portion of the mirror head thataccommodates the near infrared light emitters, with two narrow beamemitters, one for illuminating a driver's head of a left hand drivevehicle and the other for illuminating a driver's head of a right handdrive vehicle;

FIG. 12 is a schematic of the interior cabin of a left hand drivevehicle, showing the left hand drive narrow beam emitters illuminatingthe driver's head;

FIG. 13 is a schematic of the interior cabin of a right hand drivevehicle, showing the right hand drive narrow beam emitters illuminatingthe driver's head;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are plan views of other mirror heads of the interiorrearview mirror assembly, showing narrow beam emitters and wide beamemitters for left hand drive and right hand drive vehicles;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the interior rearview mirrorassembly of FIG. 15 ;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the portion of the mirror head thataccommodates the near infrared light emitters, with two narrow beamemitters, one for illuminating a driver's head of a left hand drivevehicle and the other for illuminating a driver's head of a right handdrive vehicle;

FIG. 18 is a schematic of the interior cabin of a left hand drivevehicle, showing the left hand drive narrow beam emitters illuminatingthe driver's head;

FIG. 19 is a schematic of the interior cabin of a right hand drivevehicle, showing the right hand drive narrow beam emitters illuminatingthe driver's head;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of the controller for controlling the DMSlight emitters;

FIG. 21 shows graphs of the LED control sequence when the mirrorassembly is installed in a left hand drive vehicle;

FIG. 22 shows graphs of the LED control sequence when the mirrorassembly is installed in a right hand drive vehicle;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view of the mirror head, showing the camera andlight emitters disposed behind the mirror reflective element;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of a mirror head having a prismaticreflective element;

FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view of a mirror reflective elementsub-assembly for an interior rearview mirror assembly;

FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective partial sectional view of the mirrorreflective element sub-assembly of FIG. 25 ;

FIG. 27 is a perspective partial sectional view of the mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly of FIG. 26 ;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a cabin of a vehicle, showing DMS/OMScameras disposed at CMS video display screens;

FIG. 29 is an exploded perspective view of a One-Box ElectrochromicInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly;

FIG. 30 shows the near-IR emission pattern shaped by the near-IRReflector for the two narrow field of view LEDs for use in a left-handdrive vehicle and the near-IR emission pattern shaped by the near-IRReflector for the two narrow field of view LEDs for use in a right-handdrive vehicle;

FIG. 31A-31D show near-IR light-emitting sources disposed in andsupported by structure of the mirror head of the One-Box ElectrochromicInterior DMS Mirror Assembly;

FIGS. 32A and 32B are plan views from above of the One-Box Interior DMSMirror Assembly as mounted in a LHD vehicle;

FIG. 33A-33C are schematics showing exemplary angles and dimensions ofthe One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assembly in the LHD vehicle;

FIGS. 33D and 33E show plots in a horizontal plane and a vertical planeof different driver eye points as illuminated by the LHD nFOV LEDs in aLHD vehicle;

FIG. 33F shows the illumination in the cabin of the LHD vehicle when theLHD nFOV LEDs are powered;

FIGS. 34A and 34B are plan views from above of the One-Box Interior DMSMirror Assembly as mounted in a RHD vehicle;

FIGS. 35A and 35B are schematics showing exemplary angles and dimensionsof the One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assembly in the RHD vehicle;

FIGS. 35C and 35D show plots in a horizontal plane and a vertical planeof different driver eye points as illuminated by the RHD nFOV LEDs in aRHD vehicle;

FIG. 35E shows the illumination in the cabin of the RHD vehicle when theRHD nFOV LEDs are powered;

FIG. 36 shows the illumination in the cabin of the vehicle when the wFOVLEDs are powered;

FIG. 37 shows the One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assembly suitable for useon both a RHD vehicle and a LHD vehicle;

FIG. 38 shows the arrangement of the first, second and third near-IRillumination sources at the right side of the mirror head (to the rightof the camera) as viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle;

FIGS. 39A-E show different locations for the wFOV and nFOV near-IRilluminators at a mirror head for the One-Box Interior DMS RearviewMirror Assembly;

FIG. 40 is a table showing a transflector stack for a visible-lighttransmitting/visible-light reflecting/near-IR light transmittingtransflective substrate suitable for use in the One-Box ElectrochromicInterior DMS Mirror Assembly;

FIG. 41 is a graph showing the thicknesses of the layers of thetransflector of FIG. 40 ;

FIGS. 42 and 43 show transmittance and color of the visible-lighttransmitting/visible-light reflecting/near-IR light transmittingtransflective mirror reflective element of FIG. 40 ; and

FIGS. 44A-D show transmission and reflection properties of the mirrorreflective element having the transflector of FIG. 40 .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, an interior rearview mirror assembly 10 for a vehicle includesa casing 12 and a reflective element 14 positioned at a front portion ofthe casing 12 (FIG. 1 ). In the illustrated embodiment, mirror assembly10 is configured to be adjustably mounted to an interior portion of avehicle (such as to an interior or in-cabin surface of a vehiclewindshield or a headliner of a vehicle or the like) via a mountingstructure or mounting configuration or assembly 16. The mirrorreflective element may comprise a variable reflectance mirror reflectiveelement that varies its reflectance responsive to electrical currentapplied to conductive coatings or layers of the reflective element.

The mirror assembly includes or is associated with a driver monitoringsystem (DMS), with the mirror assembly comprising a driver/occupantmonitoring camera 18 disposed at a back plate 20 (and viewing through anaperture of the back plate) behind the reflective element 14 and viewingthrough the reflective element toward at least a head region of thedriver of the vehicle. The DMS includes a near infrared light emitter 24disposed at the back plate 20 and emitting light through anotheraperture of the back plate and through the reflective element.

With the DMS camera disposed in the mirror head, the camera moves withthe mirror head (including the mirror casing and mirror reflectiveelement that pivot at a pivot joint that pivotally connects the mirrorhead to the mounting structure of the interior rearview mirror assemblythat in turn mounts at a windshield or at a headliner of the equippedvehicle), such that, when the driver aligns the mirror to view rearward,the camera is aligned with the line of sight of the driver. The locationof the DMS camera and IR LED(s) at the mirror head provide anunobstructed view to the driver. The DMS preferably is self-contained inthe interior rearview mirror assembly and thus may be readilyimplemented in a variety of vehicles, including existing vehicles anddifferent models of the same vehicle brand (for example, in a BMW3-series model and in a BMW X3 model and in a BMW 5-series model and ina BMW X5 model and in an BMW 7-series model, etc.). The drivermonitoring camera may also provide captured image data for an occupancymonitoring system (OMS) or another separate camera may be disposed atthe mirror assembly for the OMS function.

The mirror assembly includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 24 having acontrol or control unit comprising electronic circuitry (disposed at thecircuit board or substrate in the mirror casing), which includes drivercircuitry for controlling dimming of the mirror reflective element. Thecircuit board (or a separate DMS circuit board) includes a processorthat processes image data captured by the camera 18 for monitoring thedriver and determining, for example, driver attentiveness and/or driverdrowsiness. The driver monitoring system includes the driver monitoringcamera and may also include an occupant monitoring camera (or the drivermonitoring camera may have a sufficiently wide field of view so as toview the occupant or passenger seat of the vehicle as well as the driverregion), and may provide occupant detection and/or monitoring functionsas part of an occupant monitoring system (OMS).

The mirror assembly may also include one or more infrared (IR) or nearinfrared light emitters 24 (such as IR or near-IR light emitting diodes(LEDs) or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) or the like)disposed at the back plate 20 behind the reflective element 14 andemitting near infrared light through the aperture of the back plate andthrough the reflective element toward the head region of the driver ofthe vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5 , the IR emitter device 24 comprises anIR emitter or LED printed circuit board, with a first set of nearinfrared light emitting diodes 24 a (e.g., a set of wider beam LEDs) atone part of the LED PCB and a second set of near infrared light emittingdiodes 24 b (e.g., a set of narrower beam LEDs) at another part of theLED PCB. The LED PCB has one part angled relative to the other part toemit light in a desired direction depending on the orientation of themirror head. Thus, the first set of near infrared light emitting diodesmay be angled toward the left side of the vehicle so as to be directedtoward a driver of a left hand drive vehicle (if the mirror assembly isinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle and the first set of nearinfrared light emitting diodes are enabled for the driver monitoringfunction), while the second set of near infrared light emitting diodesmay be angled toward the right side of the vehicle so as to be directedtoward a driver of a right hand drive vehicle (if the mirror assembly isinstalled in a right hand drive vehicle and the second set of nearinfrared light emitting diodes are enabled for the driver monitoringfunction).

Conventional driver monitoring systems (DMS) in likes of BMW, Ford, GM,Tesla, and Subaru vehicles (for example, for GM SuperCruise™ or forFord's BlueCruise™ as described inhttps://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/driver-monitoring-systems-ford-gm-earn-points-in-cr-tests-a6530426322)are “Two-Box” DMS in that (i) the camera used to monitor the driver'shead/eyes and the near-IR emitting light sources that illuminate thedriver's head/eyes are accommodated in a first box or module (that isusually located at the steering column of an equipped vehicle or in anoverhead region of the equipped vehicle) and (ii) theelectronics/software used to analyze captured image data to determinethe driver's gaze direction or head position or eye movement oralertness or drowsiness is accommodated in a separate second box ormodule that is located remote from and at a distance from the first boxand that connects to the first box typically via a wired connection (thesecond box typically comprises an ECU that can be part of a head unit ofthe equipped vehicle and that besides DMS, optionally can provide otherfeatures).

Referring now to FIG. 29 , a “One-Box” DMS electrochromic interiorrearview mirror assembly 110 has both the camera 10 used to monitor thedriver's head/eyes and the near-IR emitting light sources 8 thatilluminate the driver's head/eyes accommodated by an interior rearviewmirror assembly (and preferably, are both accommodated within the mirrorhead of the interior rearview mirror assembly). Thus, the one-box DMSelectrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly allows an originalequipment manufacturer (OEM) of vehicles (such as for example VW orToyota or Honda or GM or Ford) to equip vehicles with the likes of a DMSinterior rearview electrochromic mirror assembly that includes thecamera/illumination sources/driver monitoring software/associated drivermonitoring electronic circuitry such as data processing chip(s), memory,electronic components, printed circuit board(s) that includes automaticdimming circuitry, data processing chip(s), memory, electroniccomponents, light sensors for detecting glare and ambient lighting, andthat includes power supplies, electrical connector(s), heat sink(s),mechanical parts, etc. The One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assemblythus can be purchased by an OEM from an interior rearview mirrorassembly manufacturer and can be installed by that OEM into abeing-assembled vehicle (typically mounting to a mirror mounting buttonor similar element that is adhered to the in-cabin side of thewindshield of the vehicle). To operate in the equipped vehicle, theOne-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly connects to a vehiclewiring harness of the vehicle and is supplied via this vehicle wiringharness with ignition voltage (nominal 12V DC but can vary from 9V (6Vfor automatic stop/start) to 16V or so depending on the vehicle type andthe operating condition of the vehicle). The one-box Interior DMSrearview mirror assembly via this wiring harness is supplied withvehicle data, such data including vehicle and other data supplied via aCAN bus or link (that can carry to the mirror vehicle information andthat can carry from the mirror distraction alerts, etc.) or supplied viaa Local Area Network (LIN) bus or line. The wire harness can comprise areverse inhibit signal/line that communicates to the interiorelectrochromic mirror assembly that the driver has selected reversegear/reverse propulsion, an Ethernet link, a video in/out line,electrical power, a ground line, and/or a GMSL/FPD link (video in/out).Video out may be provided, such as for video conferencing and/or“selfies” applications. Optionally, for privacy protection, the imagesof occupants may be blurred if displayed (during the likes of in-vehiclevideo conferencing) on an in-cabin display or if wirelessly transmittedto viewers remote from the equipped vehicle. The system may blur thecomplete image, leaving only the driver/co-driver or all passenger facesclear. Optionally, black bars may be overlaid over the persons' faces.Image stabilization may be provided to compensate potential movements ofthe image, and/or dynamic cropping of the images may be performed.

The vehicle wire harness also receives outputs/data from the one-boxinterior rearview mirror assembly DMS, such outputs used for variousfeatures, systems and functions of the equipped vehicle. Theoutputs/data from the one-box interior DMS rearview mirror assemblyinclude data related to head position of a driver of the equippedvehicle, eye gaze direction of the driver of the equipped vehicle, handposition of the driver of the equipped vehicle, drowsiness of the driverof the equipped vehicle, attentiveness of the driver of the equippedvehicle etc., along with other outputs/data relating to some (andpreferably all) of the following:

-   -   Emotional state    -   Cognitive distraction        -   Disengagement        -   Visual distraction    -   Level of drowsiness        -   Microsleeping        -   Sleeping    -   Visual State        -   Gesture            -   Head nodding/shaking        -   Activity            -   Abnormal head posture            -   Hand position classification            -   Held object classification            -   Speaking            -   Laughing            -   Coughing            -   Sneezing            -   Yawning            -   Smoking        -   Phone handling            -   Video conferencing        -   Viewing target classification            -   Child seat detection            -   Seat belt status            -   Occupant size            -   Occupant age            -   Gender            -   Presence detection            -   Convenience recognition            -   Security recognition            -   Occupant change            -   Spoofing            -   Facial Expression    -   Body Pose Tracking        -   Eye tracking        -   Head tracking        -   Eyelid dynamics        -   Brightness control        -   Face searching        -   Mouth Shape    -   Camera pose estimation        -   Frozen image detection        -   Face occlusion        -   Lens blockage        -   Low image quality        -   IR light blockage

Camera Misalignment

The interior DMS rearview mirror assembly provides a stand-alone One-BoxDMS solution that has the camera/illumination near-IR sources/DMSsoftware and its associated data processing chip(s)/automatic dimmingcircuitry/circuitry used to control an exterior electrochromic mirrorreflective element that is part of an exterior sideview mirror of theequipped vehicle/data processing circuitry/communicationcircuitry/memory/power supplies/associated electronics and hardware/heatsinks, etc. packaged into, integrated into and accommodated by avehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, and preferably covertlyintegrated within the mirror head of the vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly behind (and rendered covert to a driver's view by) atransflective mirror reflective element of the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly.

The interior rearview mirror thus has embedded cameras, IR illuminatorsand the processor for processing captured image data for the drivermonitoring application. The inward facing camera 18 and IR illuminators24 are fixed within the mirror head, and thus both components arecoupled with the mirror body. Hence, the camera's field of view issubject to change from driver to driver as the mirror head is adjustedto set the driver's preferred rearward view.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3-8 , the camera and lightemitters are disposed behind the mirror reflective element, which maycomprise an electro-optic (such as electrochromic or EC) mirrorreflective element or a prismatic mirror reflective element. The mirrorcasing may include a plastic bezel portion that circumscribes theperimeter edge of the mirror reflective element (FIG. 3 ) and thatprovides an outer curved surface that transitions from the outer surfaceof the mirror casing to the planar front surface of the mirrorreflective element (optionally with no part of the plastic bezel portionoverlapping or overlaying onto the planar front surface of the mirrorreflective element), such that the plastic bezel completes thehomologated edge. Optionally, the mirror reflective element may providean exposed outer curved surface that transitions from the outer surfaceof the mirror casing to the planar front surface of the mirrorreflective element (FIG. 4 ).

As shown in FIG. 5 , the mirror back plate 20 is adhered at the rear ofthe mirror reflective element 14 (such as via an adhesive foam tape 26).A heat spreader 28 (e.g., a thin aluminum plate) may be disposed at therear of the back plate, and the printed circuit board 30 may attach atthe rear of the heat spreader. A heat sink/chassis and EMI form in place(FIP) gasket 32 is disposed at the rear of the printed circuit board andis configured to attach at the pivot element 34 (shown as a socketelement) that pivotally attaches at the ball member 16 a of the mirrormount 16. Thermal interface material 33 may be disposed between thecircuit board 30 and the chassis 32 to enhance heat dissipation from thecircuit board to the chassis and heat sink.

Optionally, the mirror back plate or attachment plate may be molded outof a metal filled injection moldable material (e.g., Stainless Steel(SS) fiber, such as a polycarbonate (PC) Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS) and SS fiber material) to provide electromagnetic interference(EMI) mitigation (EMC shield). Optionally, the heatsink may be formedvia additive manufacturing (3D printing or the like) to provide anadditive manufactured heatsink with capillary effect to help transferheat more uniformly and away from high power components.

The near infrared light emitter 24 includes a circuit board or element25 that is attached at the chassis 32 via a thermal adhesive, and isdisposed at the aperture of the back plate, with an IR longpass filter36 disposed between the reflective element and the near IR lightemitter. The near IR light emitter 24 is disposed at a left side of themirror head (as viewed by a driver of the vehicle with the mirror headinstalled at the vehicle) and is configured to illuminate the driver'shead region of a left hand drive vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the light emitter 24 has two sets of LEDsdisposed on the circuit board. One set of LEDs 24 a emits a wider beamof near infrared light when energized (e.g., four wider beam LEDs) andanother set of LEDs 24 b emits a narrower beam of near infrared lightwhen energized (e.g., four narrower beam LEDs). The narrower beam LEDsmay be powered or energized for the driver monitoring function, whilethe wider beam LEDs may be powered or energized for the occupantmonitoring function (and may be episodically energized for illuminatingparticular frames of captured image data, such as by utilizing aspectsof the systems described in International PCT Application No.PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022 (Attorney Docket DON01 FP4421 WO),which claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 63/267,316, filed Jan. 31, 2022, U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 63/262,642, filed Oct. 18, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 63/260,359, filed Aug. 18, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 63/201,757, filed May 12, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 63/201,371, filed Apr. 27, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 63/200,451, filed Mar. 8, 2021, and U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 63/200,315, filed Mar. 1, 2021, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties).

The narrow beam LEDs 24 b are angled or canted or biased (e.g., by tendegrees or thereabouts) toward the left and thus toward the driver of aleft hand drive vehicle, while the wider beam LEDs 24 a are not biasedtoward either side. When the mirror assembly is installed in a left handdrive vehicle (FIG. 7 ), the narrow beam LEDs illuminate the driver'shead region while the wider beam LEDs illuminate the passenger area aswell as the driver area. However, when the mirror assembly is installedin a right hand drive vehicle (FIG. 8 ), the narrow beam LEDs do notilluminate the driver's head region while the wider beam LEDs illuminatethe passenger area as well as the driver area.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-11 , the mirror assembly includes a nearinfrared light emitter that is configured and operable to selectivelyemit light toward the driver head region when the mirror assembly isdisposed in a left hand drive vehicle (with the driver sitting in a leftside driver seat) or when the mirror assembly is disposed in a righthand drive vehicle (with the driver sitting in a right side driverseat). The system provides for DMS/OMS illumination that is softwareconfigurable based on vehicle data for the country code. For example,the DMS light emitters may comprise two or three separatebanks/groups/sets of emitters or LEDs. One group is aimed or angledtoward the left hand side of the vehicle and one group is aimed orangled toward the right hand side of the vehicle. Optionally, there is athird group that is aimed somewhere in between (in the illustratedexamples discussed below, the third group is directed perpendicular tothe mirror surface). These groups or sets can be made up of variouscombinations of wide and narrow LEDs or VCSELs. Knowing the country thevehicle is in and thus if it is a Left-Hand-Drive (LHD) vehicle or aRight-Hand-Drive (RHD) vehicle allows the software on the DMS/OMS ECU(remote or inside the mirror) to configure which LEDs are activated forspecific DMS or OMS features and/or frames (such as by utilizing aspectsof the driver/occupant monitoring systems described in International PCTApplication No. PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022 (Attorney DocketDON01 FP4421 WO), which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety). Because the controller and system are softwareconfigurable, the mirror design can be common for LHD/RHD vehicles andcan be used globally.

Thus, the DMS light emitters are provided in a mirror assembly with twosets of narrow beam LEDs, one set that is for illuminating a driver of aleft hand drive vehicle when the mirror assembly is installed in theleft hand drive vehicle, and another set that is for illuminating adriver of a right hand drive vehicle when the mirror assembly isinstalled in the right hand drive vehicle. For example, and withreference to FIGS. 9-11 , the mirror assembly 110 includes the camera118 and near IR light emitters 124 disposed behind the mirror reflectiveelement 114 and at the left side of center of the mirror head. The nearIR light emitters include three sets of LEDs (e.g., each set having fourLEDs), including a wider beam set of LEDs 124 a disposed between a firstnarrow beam set of LEDs 124 b and a second narrow beam set of LEDs 124c. The wider beam set of LEDs 124 a is centrally located at the lightemitter PCB 125 and has no bias in either direction (i.e., its principalbeam axis is generally normal to the planar surface of the mirrorreflective element and with the beam providing greater than 100 degreesof illumination across the interior cabin, such as greater than 120degrees of illumination across the interior cabin, such as greater than150 degrees of illumination across the interior cabin), while the firstnarrow beam set of LEDs 124 b is disposed at the left side of the widerset and is biased (e.g., canted or angled at about 0 to 20 degrees,preferably 5 to 15 degrees, such as, for example, 10 degrees) toward theleft side, and the second narrow beam set of LEDs 124 c is disposed atthe right side of the wider set and is biased (e.g., canted or angled atabout 10 to 30 degrees, preferably 15 to 25 degrees, such as, forexample, 20 degrees or 22 degrees) toward the right side (and with eachnarrow beam set providing less than 100 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 80 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 60 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin). The light emitter circuit board 125 may comprisethree parts, with the center part being parallel to the planar surfaceof the reflective element and with the side parts being angled or cantedrelative to the center part and relative to the planar surface of thereflective element to provide the desired or selected angling of theprincipal beam axis of the narrow beam set of LEDs. For applicationswhere the light emitters are disposed at the right side of center of themirror head, the angles of the narrow beam emitting light emitters wouldbe reversed, so that the first narrow beam set of LEDs disposed at theleft side of the wider set is biased (e.g., canted or angled at about 10to 30 degrees, preferably 15 to 25 degrees, such as, for example, 20degrees or 22 degrees) toward the left side, and the second narrow beamset of LEDs disposed at the right side of the wider set is biased (e.g.,canted or angled at about 0 to 20 degrees, preferably 5 to 15 degrees,such as, for example, 10 degrees) toward the right side (and with eachnarrow beam set providing less than 100 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 80 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 60 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin).

Thus, when the mirror assembly is disposed in a left hand drive vehicle(FIG. 12 ), the system is set so that the driver monitoring LEDs (thatare energized when the system is capturing image data for the drivermonitoring function) comprise the first narrow beam set of LEDs 124 b,such that the driver's head is illuminated by the near infraredillumination emitted by the LEDs 124 b during image capture for thedriver monitoring function. Similarly, when the mirror assembly isdisposed in a right hand drive vehicle (FIG. 13 ), the system is set sothat the driver monitoring LEDs comprise the second narrow beam set ofLEDs 124 b, such that the driver's head is illuminated by the nearinfrared illumination emitted by the LEDs 124 b during image capture forthe driver monitoring function. The wider beam set of LEDs is the samefor either the left hand drive application or right hand driveapplication and provides wider illumination during image capture for theoccupant monitoring function.

The light emitter is software enabled so that either the first or secondnarrow beam set of LEDs is enabled (for the driver monitoring function)depending on the type (left hand drive or right hand drive) of vehiclein which the mirror assembly is installed. Thus, when the mirrorassembly is installed in a left hand drive vehicle, the first narrowbeam set of LEDs is enabled (for the driver monitoring function) sothat, when operating for the driver monitoring function, the firstnarrow beam set of LEDs is energized (and the second narrow beam set ofLEDs is not enabled or energized). Alternatively, if the mirror assemblyis installed in a right hand drive vehicle, the second narrow beam setof LEDs is enabled (for the driver monitoring function) so that, whenoperating for the driver monitoring function, the second narrow beam setof LEDs is energized (and the first narrow beam set of LEDs is notenabled or energized).

Although shown as having three sets of LEDs, each set having fourindividual LEDs, other LED (or other light emitter) arrangements andconfigurations are contemplated. For example, and with reference to FIG.14 , the light emitter 224 may comprise two sets of LEDs, a left set 224a having three narrow beam LEDs and a wider beam LED, and a right setalso having three narrow beam LEDs and a wider beam LED. The lightemitter is software enabled so either the left side narrow beam LED orthe right side narrow beam LED is enabled (for the driver monitoringfunction) depending whether the mirror assembly is installed in a lefthand drive vehicle or a right hand drive vehicle. The wider beam LEDsare used for the OMS function, and the left side wider beam LED may beused for the OMS for a right hand drive vehicle, and the right sidewider beam LED may be used for the OMS for a left hand drive vehicle.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 15-17 , the light emitter 324may be similar to light emitter 124, discussed above, but with thecenter wider beam set of LEDs 324 a (the wFOV LEDs) only having twoLEDs, and each of the two narrower beam sets of LEDs having threenarrower beam LEDs. The left side set 324 b (of narrow beam or nFOVLEDs) is angled or canted or biased (such as, for example, 10 degrees)toward the left side of the vehicle (toward a driver region of a lefthand drive vehicle), while the right side set 324 c (of narrow beam ornFOV LEDs) is two narrower beam sets of LEDs having three narrower beamLEDs is angled or canted or biased (such as, for example, 20 degrees)toward the right side of the vehicle (toward a driver region of a righthand drive vehicle). The light emitter circuit board 325 may comprisethree parts, with the center part 325 a being parallel to the planarsurface of the reflective element and with the side parts 325 b, 325 cbeing angled or canted relative to the center part and relative to theplanar surface of the reflective element to provide the desired orselected angling of the principal beam axis of the narrow beam LEDs. Thelight emitter is software enabled such that the right hand and left handdriver LEDs are enabled (for the driver monitoring function) dependingon the type of vehicle at which the mirror assembly is installed (seeFIGS. 17-19 ).

Thus, the driver monitoring system may control the LED control circuitto enable and energize or electrically power the appropriate set of LEDsdepending on the type of vehicle and depending on whether the system iscapturing image data for the driver monitoring function or the occupantmonitoring function. As shown in FIG. 20 , the different LED groups areelectrically powered by an LED control circuit, which is provided LEDcontrol signals from the microprocessor. The LED control circuit may bedisposed at the circuit board of the light emitter, and themicroprocessor may be at the ECU of the mirror head or at a remote ECUin the vehicle. The microprocessor controls the light emitter inaccordance with the image capturing by the DMS/OMS camera so theappropriate area of the vehicle cabin is illuminated by the lightemitter depending on the particular function (driver monitoring oroccupant monitoring) for which the system is currently capturing imagedata. The control sequences for actuating the different sets of LEDs ofthe light emitter may be similar to what is shown in FIG. 21 (for a lefthand drive vehicle) or FIG. 22 (for a right hand drive vehicle). Theselection or enabling of one of the narrow beam sets of LEDs may occuronly once, such as when the mirror is installed at the LHD or RHDvehicle or before installation and when the mirror assembly is assembledor shipped to the assembly plant or at any other time prior to normaloperation of the DMS/OMS. After the initial setting, the DMS willoperate to energize the appropriate or selected or enabled narrow beamset for the DMS function and will not operate or energize thenon-selected or not enabled narrow beam set for the DMS function.

Thus, when the mirror assembly is installed in a vehicle (typically at avehicle assembly line) or installed as a replacement service part, andwhen the vehicle is powered, a signal or flag input is provided (e.g.,via CAN bus signal or the like) to the electronic circuitry of themirror assembly indicating that the vehicle is either a left hand drivevehicle or a right hand drive vehicle. Optionally, that signal may beprovided at initial startup of the vehicle (after the mirror assembly isinstalled and the vehicle is assembled) or at each ignition cycle.Optionally, the signal may be provided when the mirror assembly isassembled (such as at the mirror assembly plant or mirror manufacturer)and designated for use in the left hand drive vehicle or right handdrive vehicle.

The electro-optic (such as electrochromic (EC)) mirror reflectiveelement sub-assembly transmits near infrared light and reflects visiblelight. Thus, the mirror reflective element (i.e., a transflective mirrorreflector of the mirror reflective element) effectively allows the IRemitters to emit light through the reflective element and allows thecamera to ‘view’ through the mirror reflective element, while allowingthe mirror reflective element to reflect at least some visible lightincident thereat to serve its intended rear viewing purpose. The IRemitters may be activated responsive at least in part to an ambientlight level within the vehicle cabin and at the driver's head region,with the light level being determined by a light sensor or by processingof image data captured by the driver monitoring camera. Although shownand described as being disposed behind the mirror reflective element andemitting light through and receiving light through the mirror reflectiveelement, the light emitters and camera may be disposed at a lower regionof the mirror head (with the mounting base attached at the interiorportion of the left hand drive vehicle or the right hand drive vehicle)and below the mirror reflective element and movable in tandem with themirror head.

Having the inward viewing driver monitoring camera in a pivotablerearview mirror head poses unique challenges pertaining to the camera'sperspective. In order to account for changes in the camera's view whenthe mirror head is adjusted, the mirror's driver monitoring processorcalculates the camera's location and angle within the vehicle based onthe image data captured by the camera and processed by the processor.For example, the system may process image data captured by the drivermonitoring camera to determine where particular features are located inthe field of view of the camera (such as relative to a particular areaof the field of view, such as a central region), and thus the drivermonitoring system determines the position of the driver's head by thedetermined position or positions of particular fixed vehicle features,such as the rear windows, pillars, center console or the like, in thecaptured image data. The system may adjust processing of the image datacaptured by the camera to accommodate changes in location of the knownor particular vehicle features. For example, if a nominal setting of themirror has a particular feature a predetermined distance laterallyand/or vertically from a center of the image data, if it is determinedthat the particular feature is shifted or offset to one side or theother from the predetermined distance location, the processor shifts oradjusts processing of captured image data to accommodate the lateraland/or vertical shift of the particular feature. Optionally, thefield-of-view of the camera may be biased by offsetting/shifting thelens stack of the camera relative to the imager rather than physicallyaiming the whole Imager PCB and lens stack. Such shifting of the lensrelative to the imager may utilize aspects of the systems described inU.S. Pat. No. 10,946,798 and/or 10,525,883, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/650,255, filed Feb. 8, 2022 (Attorney DocketMAG04 P4412), and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/201,894,filed May 18, 2021, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

The driver monitoring system may provide the ability for thealgorithms/camera to determine if the driver has the mirror aimedproperly (for providing an acceptable rearward view to the particulardriver). Such determination may be made by determining (via processingof image data captured by the camera) the presence and position of (i)the driver's face in a given frame, (ii) adequate light in a given framerelative the driver's head mass, or (iii) the rear window and/or otherfixed vehicle features (e.g., D pillars or head rests or the like) inthe field of view of the camera. If the system determines that themirror is aimed improperly, the algorithms may trigger the vehicle toalert the driver of improper use of the interior rearview mirror (suchas via an audible alert, or such as via a visual alert, such as anindicator light or display on a display screen, or such as via a hapticalert). Optionally, the mirror may include an actuator that may adjustthe mirror head toward a nominal or optimal orientation for theparticular driver responsive to determining that the mirror head isaimed improperly for that driver.

Optionally, and to reduce stray light or glare at the camera, the mirrorhead may include a stray light limiting or blocking mechanism. In aDMS/OMS mirror head, the camera lens and the light emitters are closelyplaced. The camera has wide angle field of view such as, for example, ahorizontal field of view 140 degrees and a diagonal field of view ofclose to 180 degrees. Stray light emitted by the light emitters may leakinto the camera lens directly or through reflections from the coverglass or prism glass or EC mirror glass surfaces and create glare/ghostin the captured images. The stray light blocking mechanism is disposedbetween the camera lens and the glass surface in front of the lens. Asshown in FIG. 23 , the stray light blocker may circumscribe the lensengage the rear of the mirror reflective element and block light fromentering the lens. The stray light blocker may be in the form of a hardshell cone attached to the lens cap or barrel, or a soft shell (e.g., aflexible or deformable rubber disc-shaped or cone-shaped element) as apart of lens cap/barrel formed by second-shot injection molding or otherappropriate means.

Optionally, the DMS camera may be used to detect ambient light and/orglare light (emanating from headlamps of a trailing vehicle) for use inproviding auto-dimming of the EC mirror reflective element. The DMScamera may be disposed in the mirror head and viewing rearward throughthe mirror reflective element (optionally, the DMS camera may bedisposed in the mirror head at a location above or below or sideward ofthe mirror reflective element). The processing of image data captured bythe DMS camera may be adjusted to accommodate the angle of the mirrorhead so that the ECU or system, via image processing of image datacaptured by the DMS camera, determines headlamps of a trailing vehicle(behind the equipped vehicle and traveling in the same direction as theequipped vehicle and traveling in the same traffic lane or in anadjacent traffic lane) to determine glare light at the mirror reflectiveelement. The processing of image data captured by the DMS camera isadjusted to accommodate the degree of dimming of the mirror reflectiveelement. For example, the system knows how much the mirror reflectiveelement is dimmed (responsive to the determined glare light intensityand location) and can accommodate for the mirror dimming level whenprocessing captured image data to determine presence and intensity oflight sources/headlamps rearward of the vehicle. Theintelligent/automatic mirror dimming functions may utilize aspects ofthe systems described in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2019-0258131 and/orUS-2019-0047475, and/or International PCT Application No.PCT/US2022/070062, filed Jan. 6, 2022, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, and particularly for prismatic mirror applications (see FIG.24 ), there may be an issue with ‘ghost’ images getting into the cameralens caused by the non-parallel surfaces of the prism glass. Anotherissue may be with the IR light from the IR LEDs/VCSELS bouncing betweenthe prism glass surfaces and getting to the camera lens. The system mayprovide optimization of the camera primary aim axis to an angle specificto the second surface or first surface. For example, the camera lensaxis may be perpendicular to the second (rear) surface of the mirrorglass substrate and then the resulting prism angle from the first(front) surface of the mirror glass substrate, or it may be angled suchthat the primary axis is perpendicular to the first surface, or it maybe in between or further off the perpendicular axis. This optimizationis possible by shifting the imager relative to the lens stack, whichprovides an optical bias aim of the camera's field of view. Optionally,an area in front of the camera lens or IR illumination area may bedevoid of the mirror reflector (such as a window established through themirror reflector by laser ablating the mirror reflector) to reduce thereflections between the surfaces.

Optionally, a coating, such as an anti-reflective coating, may bedisposed at the first surface to reduce the reflections and promote morelight exiting the prism glass or higher transmission by utilizing phasechanges. Such anti-reflection coatings reduce the light loss and makeuse of phase changes and the dependence of the reflectivity on the indexof refraction of the glass mirror substrate. The anti-reflectioncoatings create a double interface via a thin film that provides tworeflected waves. If the waves are out of phase the at least partiallycancel. For example, the coating may have a quarter wavelength thicknessand the coating may have an index of refraction of less than that of theglass mirror substrate, such that the two reflections will be 180degrees out of phase and will cancel each other out.

Optionally, in order to mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI) ofthe electronics within the interior rearview mirror assembly and tolimit component count, the mirror glass attachment plate (which providesstability and structure for the mirror glass) may also function as onehalf or portion of a Faraday cage around the electronics in the mirrorhead. For example, and such as shown in FIGS. 25-27 , a mirrorreflective element sub-assembly 413 (configured to attach at a mirrormount and/or mirror casing of an interior rearview mirror assembly)includes a mirror attachment plate 420 is adhered at the rear of themirror reflective element 414 (such as via an adhesive foam tape 426).The printed circuit board 430 may attach at the rear of the mirrorattachment plate 420. A heat sink/chassis and EMI form in place (FIP)gasket or heatsink 432 is disposed at the rear of the printed circuitboard and is configured to attach at the pivot element (such as a socketelement such as shown in FIG. 5 ) that pivotally attaches at the ballmember of the mirror mount. Thermal interface material or elements maybe disposed between the circuit board 430 and the chassis 432 to enhanceheat dissipation from the circuit board to the chassis and heat sink.The camera 418 and light emitters 424 are disposed behind the mirrorattachment plate 420 and are generally aligned with aperturesestablished through the mirror attachment plate 420 and the adhesivetape 426.

The attachment plate 420 comprises an EMI mirror attachment plate (whichmay comprise a polycarbonate (PC) Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)and stainless steel (SS) fiber material) that interfaces with thealuminum heatsink 432 (which acts as the other half or portion of theFaraday cage). In the illustrated embodiment, the mirror attachmentplate interfaces with the heatsink in a tongue and groove fashion wherea peripheral lip 432 a of the heatsink 432 is received in a peripheralgroove or channel or receiving portion 420 a of the attachment plate 420to join and secure or retain the heatsink 432 at the attachment plate420 (optionally, a lip of the attachment plate could be received in agroove or channel or receiving portion of the heatsink). The PC ABS+SSfiber material mirror attachment plate construction may reduce overallmass and cost. Optionally, the attachment plate may comprise othersuitable materials, such as, for example, aluminum or the like.

The Faraday cage is electrically grounded by one or more spring fingersor flexible metallic or electrically conductive element at the ECU thatcontact the heatsink when the heatsink is attached at the mirrorattachment plate (or the heatsink may have flexible electricallyconductive elements that contact the ECU when the heatsink is attachedat the mirror attachment plate). The heatsink grounds the EMI attachmentplate through a set of metal fasteners 431 (e.g., threaded fasteners,such as screws or the like), which attach and retain the heatsink at theEMI attachment plate. Thus, the mirror attachment plate and the heatsinkelement function as a Faraday cage that surrounds the camera 418 andlight emitter(s) 424 and printed circuit board(s) 430 of the mirror headto reduce or mitigate EMI of the electronics within the mirror head ofthe interior rearview mirror assembly. The PC/ASA+SS Fiber attachmentplate is electrically decoupled from the electronics to limit or avoidthe material acting as an EMI material whether grounded or not.

Optionally, the ECU of the vehicle or other system of the vehicle or theDMS/OMS system may utilize signals from DMS/OMS camera or system todetermine if a driver or a passenger is reaching for the infotainmentsystem controls of the vehicle (e.g., reaching toward a center touchscreen display of the vehicle). Using this information, and responsiveto the vehicle's state (e.g., whether the vehicle is moving or in driveor reverse gear or propulsion, or is in park or off, etc.) the systemcan determine if the inputs to the infotainment system should beallowed. This allows the system to determine when the passenger isaccessing the touch screen or infotainment system so that the system canallow the passenger to safely use all the functions of the infotainmentsystem while the vehicle is being driven by the driver, whereas thedriver may have limited inputs to prevent distraction (i.e., the systemmay deactivate some or all of the infotainment inputs when it determinesthat the driver is accessing the inputs while the vehicle is reversingor moving forward at a speed greater than a threshold speed).

Optionally, using information gathered by the OMS disposed in theinterior rearview mirror assembly, such as information pertaining towhether or not one or more occupants are present in the vehicle, aparametric/directional speaker system can be activated to (i) give thedriver a private hands-free calling feature and/or (ii) provide apersonalized audio experience. For example, if the system determinesthat there are is an occupant present in the vehicle, the system mayprovide a calling feature that allows for the driver to take part in aphone conversation that the occupant or occupants cannot hear (i.e., theaudio system is adapted so that the speaker for the phone call isdirected to the driver only and optionally other speakers of the vehicleare directed to the occupant and emit sound waves that cancel out thesound from the driver's speaker, such as by utilizing aspects of thesystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,800,983, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Optionally, thesystem may provide a personalized audio experience (by tailoring theoutputs of the vehicle speakers to provide sound to the individualoccupant and not others), such as responsive to a user input provided bythe occupant (e.g., via the vehicle touch screen selection or via theoccupant's smart phone that is BLUETOOTH® connected or otherwiseconnected to the vehicle system).

Optionally, the DMS camera or system may be operated or used inconjunction with a garage door opening system of the vehicle. Forexample, using the DMS camera disposed behind the mirror reflectiveelement and viewing through the mirror reflective element (or using aDMS camera disposed elsewhere in the vehicle cabin), image data capturedby the camera may be processed (such as via an algorithm of the system)to determine if the driver/passenger is holding up a one, two or threefingers with their hand or hands. With this information, the system cantrigger the garage door opener module (which may also be packaged insidethe mirror head or mirror assembly) to transmit a signal to a garagedoor opener to open or close the garage door. Depending on the proximityof the garage door opener module/vehicle to the garage door opener(antenna/receiver distance), the gesture may or may not be successful inopening the garage door. By utilizing the camera and driver/passengergestures to actuate the garage door opener system or module, the systemsaves packaging space by not requiring the human interface buttons inthe mirror—which are commonly used to interface with the garage dooropening system or module of the vehicle. The system may utilize aspectsof the garage door opener systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.11,046,251; 10,864,865; 10,189,411; 7,023,322 and/or 6,362,771, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the camera (and associated illumination source) may bedisposed outside of the mirror assembly, such as at an instrumentcluster, overhead console, or A-pillar of the vehicle. A cameramonitoring system (CMS) video display screen is typically located at alower region of the A-pillar or at the dashboard outer section foroptimized viewing by the driver of the vehicle. The selected positionfor the driver monitoring camera including its illumination source andcamera mirror display is a trade-off between visibility of the driver,thermal considerations, packaging concept, and interior design.Typically, the available space is very restricted. Wire harness routingfor power supply and video signals must be considered as well.

Optionally, the camera (and associated illumination source) may bedisposed at the CMS video display screen. For example, and withreference to FIG. 28 , a camera 518 for a driver monitoring system (DMS)may be disposed at a driver-side CMS display screen 520 (that displaysvideo images derived from image data captured by the respectivedriver-side rearward viewing CMS camera). Similarly, a camera 519 for anoccupant monitoring system (OMS) may be disposed at a passenger-side CMSdisplay screen 521 (that displays video images derived from image datacaptured by the respective passenger-side rearward viewing CMS camera).The cameras (and associated illumination sources) may be located at anupper region of the respective display screen or just above an upperborder of the respective display screen.

The driver monitoring camera and the illumination source thus may beintegrated at the housing or bezel of the driver side mounted cameramirror display. The location and integration of the camera at the videodisplay screen may be similar to integration such asvideo-conferencing-cameras on smartphones, tablets or laptops. Bylocating the DMS/OMS cameras at the respective CMS display screens, thesystem provides seamless integration of the camera and illuminationsource and optimal facing relative to the driver's eye-box and headlocation, since good relative position, visibility and aim betweendriver and camera/display is required for both products (display andcamera). The system also provides an overall reduction of the vehiclewire harness, since the same routing can be used for both products,particularly if all of the processing is performed at a central domaincontroller or central ECU. Because the display emits visible light, thedisplay provides additional illumination of the driver body and face forbetter visibility of the visible light spectrum of the driver monitoringcamera (which typically uses a combination of visible and infrared lightsensitive pixels).

Optionally, the driver monitoring system may control one or more systemsresponsive to monitoring of the driver and/or occupant of the vehicle.For example, the system may process image data captured by the DMScamera to determine whether or not the driver is looking at aninfotainment center or screen in the vehicle. Responsive to determiningthat the driver is viewing the infotainment center or screen, the systemmay lock out driver access and use of the infotainment system, whileallowing a passenger to access the infotainment center or screen and usethe infotainment system. The system may, for example, determine that thedriver is looking at the screen, and determine whether the driver's handis moving toward the screen or if a passenger's hand is moving towardthe screen. If the system determines that the driver is looking at thescreen and trying to use the infotainment center or screen, the systemlocks it out. However, if the system determines that the occupant(non-driver) is trying to use the infotainment center or screen, thesystem does not lock it out and allows the passenger to use theinfotainment system.

Thus, a One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly comprises aplurality of near-IR light emitting sources. The near-IR light sourcesmay comprise a plurality of near-IR light emitting diodes (LEDs) ornear-IR emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL), suchas a bank or cluster or set of light sources such as LEDs or VCSELlasers. The near-IR light sources include a first wide field of view(wFOV) light source, a second narrow field of view (nFOV) light sourceto one side of the wFOV light source, and a third nFOV light source tothe other side of the wFOV light source. The terms “nFOV” and “wFOV” asused herein refer to the field of illumination, or field of view ordirectivity or full width at half maximum (FWHM) or beam angle at 50%intensity of the respective nFOV light sources and wFOV light source.

A bank or cluster or set of two (or more) narrow field of view (nFOV)near-IR emitting LEDs (which may be horizontally or vertically arranged,or that can be arranged in a matrix of rows and columns or otherwisearranged) is disposed within (or at least partially surrounded by) anear-IR light reflector (e.g., a 14.1 mm×6.92 mm×6.5 mm reflector, suchas available from CoreLED Systems, LLC, of Livonia, Mich.) on a firstrigid PCB that board-to-board connects via a flexible multiwire planarribbon cable (comprising a plurality of individual conducting wires,such as, for example, four wires, lying flat and parallel to oneanother) connection to a second rigid PCB. A bank or cluster or set oftwo (or more) wide field of view (wFOV) near-IR emitting LEDs (which maybe horizontally or vertically arranged, or that can be arranged in amatrix of rows and columns or otherwise arranged) is disposed on thesecond rigid PCB. The second rigid PCB connects via a flexible multiwireplanar ribbon cable (comprising a plurality of individual conductingwires lying flat and parallel to one another) connection to a thirdrigid PCB. A bank or cluster or set of two (or more) narrow field ofview (nFOV) near-IR emitting LEDs (which may be horizontally orvertically arranged, or that can be arranged in a matrix of rows andcolumns or otherwise arranged) is disposed within a reflector on thethird rigid PCB. The third rigid PCB comprises a flexible multiwireplanar ribbon cable that terminates in an electrical connector thatconnects with a corresponding electrical connector of the PCB of ECU 6.Although shown in some Figures as a set of three near-IR light emittinglight sources (an LHD nFOV light source, a wFOV light source, and a RHDnFOV light source) on individual rigid PCBs interconnected via flexibleribbon connection, other disposition of the respective illuminationsources in the mirror head is contemplated. For example, all the lightsources could be on one PCB, or two banks of light sources may be on onePCB and one bank of light sources may be on another PCB, etc. Thereflectors may comprise stamped polished about 0.01 inch thick 260½ hardtemper brass that may be post tin plated (e.g., at 5 microns Sn over Cuflash), or other suitable near-IR light reflecting material (such asaluminum) that may be surface mounted/soldered at the respective LEDPCBs to guide or direct or concentrate or collimate the near-IR lightemitted by the respective LEDs toward the appropriate driver orpassenger region or cabin region in the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 38 , the wFOV LEDs are horizontally arranged one besidethe other and spaced apart, and the nFOV LEDs are vertically arrangedone above the other and spaced closer together (and circumscribed orsurrounded by the respective reflector). In the illustrated embodimentof FIG. 38 , the LHD and RHD sets of nFOV LEDs each comprise two LEDsthat are stacked vertically with each set having a respective reflector.As can be seen in FIG. 38 , the horizontally arranged wFOV LEDs arespaced further apart than the vertically arranged nFOV LEDs. The LEDs ofeach set are stacked vertically to reduce the overall distance to thered glow filter/mirror reflective element so that the aperture (the holethrough the attachment plate and the hole through the tape that attachesthe mirror reflective element to the attachment plate) is as small aspossible. The arrangement of the wFOV LEDs and the nFOV LEDs can reducecost and packaging space.

The illuminator electrical driver drives the LEDs and functions toprevent a surge (e.g., 2.3A surge) on the power supply from the vehicleby storing energy in a capacitor (see the exemplary schematic of theilluminator driver of FIG. 63C). The illuminator electrical driverboosts the voltage (24V+) of a storage capacitor during the “off time”of the LEDs, and releases that stored energy into the LEDs during the“on time.” This allows for a lower average current draw from thevehicle.

The One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly includes filters atthe LEDs to attenuate or block visible light. For example, the LEDfilters may comprise a Luminate™ 7276F visible opaque compound that isblack and that blocks or filters light from 200-860 nm, and allowstransmittance of light greater than 990 nm. The filters comprise aready-to-mold thermoplastic that has an appearance of blackpolycarbonate pellets. The target transmittance values are 5% at 875 nm,50% at 910 nm, 80% at 986 nm, and 85% at 1000 nm. The filters are moldedinto a rectangular plate or, as desired, into another shape. The platethickness that transmits the near-IR at 940 nm is at least 0.5 mm thickin its thickness dimension, more preferable is at least 1 mm thick andmost preferable is at least 1.25 mm thick, but is preferably less than 6mm thick, more preferable is less than 4 mm thick and most preferable isless than 2.5 mm thick. For example, the filter may be 63.02 mmwide×23.6 mm tall×1.3 mm thick. The LED filters enhance covertness ofthe system by limiting visible light to avoid any visible light that maybe emitted by the near-IR emitting LEDs from being visible through themirror reflective element (and thus reduces or avoids LED red glow beingvisible at the mirror reflective element when the LEDs are powered). TheLED filters also block or limit incursion of ambient cabin light intothe mirror head at the locations where the LEDs view through the EC Cellto see into the vehicle cabin.

The One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly also includes an IRblocking filter in front of the EC glare sensor. The IR blocking filterat the EC glare sensor blocks a percentage of IR light from reaching theEC glare sensor. The EC glare sensor IR blocking filter may be 17.28 mmwide×11.85 mm tall×1.02 mm thick.

During operation of the One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly,the circuitry ECU controls the LEDs and camera. For example, the cameramay capture image data at a frame capture rate of 60 frames per second(fps), and the LHD n-FOV LEDs, the w-FOV LEDs and the RHD n-FOV LEDs arepulse width modulated so that some frames of the captured image data arecaptured when some or all of the LEDs are powered. During DMS operation(and, for example, every other frame of image data), the LHD n-FOV LEDsand the w-FOV LEDs are pulsed on, and during OMS operation (and, forexample, every tenth frame of image data), all of the LHD n-FOV LEDs,the w-FOV LEDs and the RHD n-FOV LEDs are pulsed on (such as byutilizing aspects of the DMS mirrors described in International PCTApplication No. PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022 (Attorney DocketDON01 FP4421WO), which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety).

Cameras for likes of security applications typically concomitantly usenear-IR floodlighting at around 850 nm IR. However, sensitivity of suchconventional cameras decreases at longer wavelengths in the near-IRspectral region. Thus such conventional security cameras are not assensitive to 940 nm light as they are to 850 nm light; such conventionalsecurity cameras can have 50% less range using 940 nm near-IRilluminators compared to when 850 nm near-IR illuminators are used.Moreover, although 850 nm IR is largely not visible to the human eye as“light”, a slight red glow at the LED light source can be perceived. Forthe in-cabin DMS and ODS, used of 940 nm near-IR illumination ispreferred, and especially when the in-mirror camera has a QuantumEfficiency at 940 nm of at least 15%. Compared to illumination at 850nm, any “red glow” perceivable by the human eye using 940 nmillumination is less, and thus covertness of the near-IR emitting lightsources within the mirror head emitting through the mirror transflectoris enhanced. Furthermore, water absorbs 940 nm near-IR light, and thussolar radiation exhibits a dip at 940 nm in its irradiation spectrum dueto moisture in the atmosphere. Therefore, ambient solar lighting presentin the cabin (and especially when driving on a sunny day in aconvertible car with the top down) has a dip or valley at 940 nm whichreduces any propensity of ambient solar lighting present in the cabin ofthe vehicle to interfere with DMS/ODS functionality.

The combination of nFOV and wFOV light sources allows the system to meetthe illumination requirements for LHD and RHD vehicles by utilizing thedifferent groups. For a LHD vehicle, the LHD nFOV and wFOV LEDs are theprimary sources for Driver Monitoring, while the LHD nFOV, the wFOV, andthe RHD nFOV LEDs are all used for Occupancy Monitoring to detect frontand rear seat passengers, children in child seats, etc.

Irradiance (the radiant flux received by a surface per unit area) at thedriver's head (and especially at the driver's eyes for drowsinessdetection) is important, and especially during nighttime driving whenthe interior cabin is dark and where the DMS camera in the mirror headprincipally relies on near-IR illumination emitted by the near-IR lightsources in the mirror head. A near-IR irradiance at the likes of thedriver's eyes of at least 1 W/m² is preferred, with at least 1.8 W/m²more preferred and at least 2.5 W/m² most preferred (especially withinthe 99% eyellipse per SAE J194 for the particular driver seated in thedriver's seat of a particular vehicle equipped with a One-Box DMSInterior Rearview Mirror Assembly), while a near-IR irradiance foroccupancy detection at the likes of the front passenger-seat seatinglocation of a front passenger of at least 0.15 W/m² is preferred, withat least 0.25 W/m² more preferred, and at least 0.4 W/m² most preferred,and a near-IR irradiance for occupancy detection at the likes of therear seats of at least 0.1 W/m² is preferred, with at least 0.15 W/m²more preferred, and at least 0.2 W/m² most preferred.

The optical path of the light emitted by the LEDs and reflected by thereflector passes through the red glow filter and through the mirrorreflective element to illuminate the driver head region, and reflectstoward the camera, passing back through the mirror reflective elementand the lens of the camera. The optical path (irradiance) of the narrowFOV (nFOV) LED at 100% LED power, is reduced so that only 74% isreaching the driver. However, as a worst-case scenario, the peak powerhas to be used. Thus, 178% LED Irradiance power needs to be used for theexposure limit. The irradiance is mostly proportional to the currentrunning through the LED.

The camera views (and the LEDs illuminate) a driver head box or region.The forward vision, near-IR illumination and camera-to-eye visibilitymay be impacted with some visor positions (showing different sizeddrivers at different seating positions relative to the One-Box DMSInterior Rearview Mirror Assembly). FIG. 86D shows the different eyepoints relative to the light source as projected on a horizontal planefor a left hand drive (LHD) vehicle and DMS (with the LEDs disposed atthe right side of the mirror head), while FIG. 88C shows the differenteye points relative to the light source as projected on a horizontalplane for a right hand drive (RHD) vehicle and DMS (with the LEDsdisposed at the right side of the mirror head). All the closest DriverEye points will be bright enough to meet the irradiancerequirements—with a nominal aim of 15° vertical/20° horizontal.

The DMS SoC disposed in the mirror head can sense its silicon dietemperature and enter “throttle modes” if needed to reduce power output(and thus to reduce operating temperature). “Throttle modes” can includea reduction in algorithm feature sets computed, and/or a reduction inSoC clock frequency, and a reduction in frame rate (60 fps to 30 fps forexample). The EC PWM duty cycle and drive voltage can be changed toreduce power dissipation in the mirror. Cell gap can be reduced to allowfor a lower drive current. IR power can be reduced as well. Use of an LCoptical switch for a DMS/OMS single box version can reduce thermalissues. This reduces the required IR LED drive power. Fans, heat pipes,conductive thermal interface materials (TIMs) and alternative heatsinkmaterials, such as copper, can be used to improve cooling. Heatsink findesign also plays a role in cooling ability.

For example, if the temperature is determined to be above a thresholdlevel, the system may provide thermal management and can pull back orreduce processing operations occurring within the mirror head. Thesystem may determine the temperature within the mirror head via an onboard thermistor or external thermistor or via the LED drivers having athermistor or via a processor within the mirror head having athermistor. To protect the in-mirror head electronics and/or to avoidexacerbating the outer skin temperature of the mirror housing of themirror head of a One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly that hasbeen parked in a high temp/sun loading situation causing the housing ofthe mirror head to be at 85 degrees Celsius or above, a variety ofcounter measures can be used. Based on the likes of the on-boardthermistor temperature sensing capabilities of chips on the board and/orexternal thermistors, either for a temporary period (up to 1 minute, upto 5 minutes, up to 10 minutes, up to 15 minutes, etc.) and/or until thethermistor-detected temperature is reduced to below a thresholdtemperature, DMS operation may be temporarily reduced during that periodof time. For example, the system may pulse the LEDs at a slower rateand/or may capture image data at a reduced frame rate, or may power theLEDs at a reduced power level (i.e., the system may de-rate the maximumintensity of the LEDs and/or de-rate the pulsing on and off of the LEDsand/or de-rate the image capture rates). Optionally, the system mayoutput (such as via a CAN communication) a signal to turn on thevehicle's air conditioning. Optionally, if the temperature is above thethreshold temperature, the system may provide an alert to the driverthat the DMS/OMS functions are temporarily not operable.

During operation, frames of image data are captured by the DMS camera(e.g., at a frame capture rate of 30 fps or 60 fps), and the appropriateLEDs are pulsed on and off for respective frames of captured image data.The LEDs pulse rate is synchronized with the camera frame capture rate;i.e., the LEDs are only powered on (and emitting near-IR illumination)when the imager is exposed and is gathering energy. For example, if thecamera captures frames of image data at 30 fps, each frame is about 33ms in duration, but the imager is only exposed (and gathering lightenergy that photoelectrically converts incoming photons into electrons)for a portion of such time; for example, 4 ms of that time. The LEDs areelectrically repetitively pulsed so that they are powered only duringthat 4 ms time period that coincides with when the imager is gatheringenergy (although the LEDs may be powered on for a slightly longer timeperiod to ensure that the LEDs are powered throughout the time period atwhich the imager is exposed). This is a pulse duty cycle of around 12%.The LEDs are synchronized so that they are not powered on for the entireframe time (33 ms) to reduce their heat generation and enhance thermalmanagement, and to avoid continually directing near-IR illumination intothe driver's eyes or passenger's eyes for an extended period of time.For DMS and so as to facilitate videoconferencing and taking of selfiesby the driver, the system uses the full color capability (RGB) of theDMS camera, so the system combines three (R, G, B) signals into a singlesignal or frame. For OMS, the system does not need color and can use theDMS camera as a monochromatic camera, with a concomitant enhancement ofsensitivity to incident light by the camera. In terms of duty cyclepulsing of the near-IR sources (such as nFOV LEDs or wFOV LEDs) disposedwithin the mirror head, a duty cycle of at least 8% is preferred; a dutycycle of at least 10% is more preferred and a duty cycle of at least 12%is most preferred. However, for eye safety and to mitigate thermal load,a duty cycle of less than 40% is preferred; a duty cycle of less than30% is more preferred and a duty cycle of less than 20% is mostpreferred.

Optionally, the system may reduce the powering of (current applied to)the LEDs during daytime operation and/or may vary or adjust the pulseduty cycle dynamically in accordance with the prevailing in-cabinconditions (such as time of day or night, or whether by day being drivenon a sunny or a cloudy day or whether the equipped vehicle has justrecently been started after heat soak on a summers day outdoor in thehot sunshine so that the interior mirror has reached a temperature of60-80 degrees Celsius or higher). Optionally, the system may increasethe powering (current applied) and/or vary or adjust the pulse dutycycle of the LEDs to view through a driver's spectacles and especially adriver's sunglasses.

Regarding the near-IR light sources housed within the interior cavity ofthe mirror head, FIG. 30 shows the near-IR emission pattern shaped bythe near-IR Reflector for the two narrow field of view (nFOV) 940 nmLEDs for use in a left-hand drive vehicle and the near-IR emissionpattern shaped by the near-IR Reflector for the two narrow field of view(nFOV) 940 nm LEDs for use in a right-hand drive vehicle. A surfacemount LED emits in all directions—the reflector thus forms a directedcone or pattern of near-IR illumination. FIGS. 31A-D show how thesenear-IR light-emitting sources are disposed in and are supportedby/angled by [relative to the plane of the rear side of the rear glasssurface of the EC Cell (its fourth surface)] structure of the mirrorhead of the One-Box Electrochromic Interior DMS Mirror Assembly. Asshown in FIG. 31D, the LHD nFOV LEDs are at an angle of about 20 degrees(or about 22 degrees) relative to the front surface of the mirrorreflective element, the wFOV LEDs are at an angle of zero degreesrelative to the front surface of the mirror reflective element, and theRHD nFOV LEDs are at an angle of about 10 degrees relative to the frontsurface of the mirror reflective element. As also shown in FIG. 31C, thewFOV LEDs are preferably physically close to the mirror reflectiveelement (though may be slightly to-off for to enhance covertness) somost or all of the near-IR light emitted by the wFOV LEDs goes into thevehicle cabin, while the nFOV LEDs are spaced from the mirror reflectiveelement (by the surface mounted reflectors) and angled so the near-IRlight emitted by the nFOV LEDs is guided or concentrated by thereflectors toward the driver region in the vehicle cabin.

As shown in FIG. 32A, with the One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assemblymounted at the windshield and angled toward the driver (shown for a lefthand drive vehicle in FIG. 32A), the mirror head is angled or canted atabout 10-30 degrees relative to a cross axis of the vehicle that isperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. As shown in FIG.32B, the n-FOV light emitters emit light to illuminate the driver'shead, with the angle or width of the illumination beam being around 60degrees, with the principal axis of the illumination beam being between10 and 30 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the planar frontsurface of the mirror reflective element, more preferably between 15 and25 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the planar front surfaceof the mirror reflective element, such as around 20 degrees or 22degrees relative to the a line perpendicular to the planar front surfaceof the mirror reflective element (i.e., the circuit board on which thenFOV light emitter is disposed is at an angle of about 10-30 degreesrelative to the planar front surface of the mirror reflective element,more preferably at an angle between 15 and 25 degrees relative to theplanar front surface of the mirror reflective element, such as around 20degrees or 22 degrees relative to the planar front surface of the mirrorreflective element). FIGS. 33A and 33B show the dimensions and anglesand configuration of the One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assembly mounted ata LHD vehicle. FIG. 33C shows geometry and equations that may be used todetermine the angles of the LHD nFOV LEDs.

in FIG. 34A, with the One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assembly mounted atthe windshield and angled toward the driver (shown for a right handdrive vehicle in FIG. 34A), the mirror head is angled or canted at about10-30 degrees relative to a cross axis of the vehicle that isperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. As shown in FIG.34B, the n-FOV light emitters emit light to illuminate the driver'shead, with the angle or width of the illumination beam being around 60degrees, with the principal axis of the illumination beam being between0 and 20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the planar frontsurface of the mirror reflective element, more preferably between 5 and15 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the planar front surfaceof the mirror reflective element, such as around 10 degrees relative toa line perpendicular to the planar front surface of the mirrorreflective element (i.e., the circuit board on which the nFOV lightemitter is disposed is at a non-zero angle up to about 20 degreesrelative to the planar front surface of the mirror reflective element,more preferably at an angle between 5 and 15 degrees relative to theplanar front surface of the mirror reflective element, such as around 10degrees relative to the planar front surface of the mirror reflectiveelement). FIG. 35A shows the angles and configuration of the One-BoxInterior DMS Mirror Assembly mounted at a RHD vehicle. FIG. 35B showsgeometry and equations that may be used to determine the angles of theLHD nFOV LEDs.

The angle of the LHD nFOV near-IR illumination source (relative to theplanar surface of the mirror reflective element) thus may be differentthan the angle of the RHD wFOV near-IR illumination source (relative tothe planar surface of the mirror reflective element), and in oppositedirections (i.e., the principal emission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IRillumination sources is angled toward the left side of the mirror head(and vehicle) and the principal emission axis of the RHD nFOV near-IRillumination sources is angled toward the right side of the mirror head(and vehicle)). Optionally, the angle of the LHD nFOV near-IRillumination source (relative to the planar surface of the mirrorreflective element) may be the same as the angle of the RHD wFOV near-IRillumination source (relative to the planar surface of the mirrorreflective element), but in a laterally opposite direction than theangle of the RHD wFOV near-IR illumination source. For example, the nFOVnear-IR illumination sources may be at an angle relative to the planarsurface of the mirror reflective element of between 5 degrees and 25degrees, such as between 10 degrees and 20 degrees, such as, forexample, 15 degrees, with principal emission axis of the LHD nFOVnear-IR illumination sources angled toward the left side of the mirrorhead (and vehicle) and the principal emission axis of the RHD nFOVnear-IR illumination sources angled toward the right side of the mirrorhead (and vehicle). In other words, the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminationsource may be at, for example, −15 degrees and the RHD nFOV near-IRillumination source may be at, for example, +15 degrees relative to theplanar surface of the mirror reflective element.

The principal line of sight of the DMS camera passes perpendicularlythrough the planar front surface of the mirror reflective elementdisposed at the mirror head of the One-Box DMS Interior Rearview MirrorAssembly. The field of view of the centrally-located DMS camera includesthe head/eyellipse driver's eyes region when the mirror head is adjustedby the driver when the One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly isinstalled at either a LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle. For a variety ofreasons, including that the central region of the cavity of the mirrorhead is crowded by the likes of the DMS camera and the ball-and-socketpivot joint about which the mirror head moves when the driver adjuststhe mirror in the equipped vehicle, the nFOV near-IR emitting lightsource intended to illuminate the head/eyellipse driver's eyes region islocated within the mirror head at a distance d mm from a centerline thatbisects the center of the length dimension of the mirror reflectiveelement. As shown in FIGS. 32A, 32B, 33A and 33B, the LHD nFOV near-IRemitting light source is angled relative to the planar frontside/surface of the mirror reflective element so that, with the One-BoxDMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly installed at a LHD vehicle andwith the mirror head adjusted by the driver, the principal emission axisof the LHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source is canted toward thedriver. Similarly, and such as shown in FIGS. 34A, 34B and 35A, the RHDnFOV near-IR emitting light source is angled relative to the planarfront side/surface of the mirror reflective element so that, with theOne-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly installed at a RHD vehicleand with the mirror head adjusted by the driver, the principal emissionaxis of the RHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source is canted toward thedriver.

For an LHD application of the One-Box DMS Interior Rearview MirrorAssembly, as the dimension d increases (i.e., as the LHD nFOV near-IRemitting light source is located further away from the centerline of themirror reflective element), the greater the angle that the principalemission axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source must subtendrelative to the plane of the planar front side/surface of the mirrorreflective element in order to provide the line of illumination towardthe driver of the LHD vehicle. However, for a RHD application of theOne-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly, as the dimension dincreases (i.e., as the RHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source islocated further away from the centerline of the mirror reflectiveelement), the lower the angle that the principal emission axis of theRHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source must subtend relative to theplane of the planar front side/surface of the mirror reflective elementin order to provide the line of illumination toward the driver of theRHD vehicle. Thus, for applications where the One-Box DMS InteriorRearview Mirror Assembly is installed in a LHD vehicle, the LHD nFOVnear-IR emitting light source is angled at, for example, about 20degrees relative to the planar front side/surface of the mirrorreflective element, with a distance d (between the mirror centerline andthe LHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source) of about 50 mm. Forapplications where the One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly isinstalled in a RHD vehicle, the RHD nFOV near-IR emitting light sourceis angled at, for example, about 10 degrees relative to the planar frontside/surface of the mirror reflective element, with a distance d(between the mirror centerline and the RHD nFOV near-IR emitting lightsource) of about 89 mm.

Thus, as the distance d increases, the respective angle of the LHD nFOVnear-IR emitting light source (relative to the planar front side/surfaceof the mirror reflective element) increases, and the respective angle ofthe RHD nFOV near-IR emitting light source (relative to the planar frontside/surface of the mirror reflective element) decreases.

As shown in FIG. 37 , the One-Box Interior DMS Mirror Assembly issuitable for use on a LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle. When the One-BoxInterior DMS Mirror Assembly is mounted in a LHD vehicle (see FIGS. 32A,32B, 33A, 33B), the camera views and the light emitter(s) illuminate LHDDriver's eyes position when the driver is seated in the driver's seatand is viewing the Interior Mirror Reflective Element.

Thus, FIGS. 32A and 32B show (in a left hand drive vehicle) how a driveradjusts the mirror of a One-Box DMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly sothat the driver can use the mirror reflective element to see rearwardvia a rear window of the equipped vehicle. Depending on the seatingposition and size of a particular driver, the front (outermost) side ofthe planar interior mirror reflective element subtends (in plan-viewfrom above) an acute angle relative to the transverse axis of thevehicle in a range from about 10 degrees to about 30 degrees. As canalso be seen in FIG. 32A, nFOV LEDs are located a distance to the rightfrom the center of the mirror head (where the DMS camera is located).FIGS. 34A and 34B show the situation in a RHD vehicle. As can be seen inFIG. 31D, the Principal Emission Axis of the LHD nFOV near-IR EmittingLight Source is at an angle θ relative to the line vertically passingthough the planar front glass substrate of the mirror reflective elementof the mirror head of the One-Box DMS Infinity™ Electrochromic InteriorRearview Mirror Assembly shown (for an RDH vehicle, the correspondingangle is δ). Angle θ typically ranges from around −10 degrees to around−35 degrees (e.g., −20 degrees). Angle δ typically ranges from around 0degrees to around 25 degrees (e.g., 10 degrees).

FIGS. 33D and 33E show plots in a horizontal plane (i.e., as viewed fromabove) and a vertical plane (i.e., as viewed from the windshield lookingrearward) of different driver eye points as illuminated by the LHD nFOVLEDs in a LHD vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 33D and 33E, any head/eyewithin the outline A will have near-IR irradiance of at least 2.5 W/m².FIG. 33F shows the illumination in the cabin of the LHD vehicle when theLHD nFOV LEDs (with the surface mounted reflectors) are powered. Asshown in FIG. 33F, the horizontal half beam angle of the LHD nFOV LEDsis 41.4 degrees and the vertical half beam angle of the LHD nFOV LEDs is40.9 degrees. FIGS. 35C and 35D show plots in a horizontal plane (i.e.,as viewed from above) and a vertical plane (i.e., as viewed from thewindshield looking rearward) of different driver eye points asilluminated by the RHD nFOV LEDs in a RHD vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 35Cand 35D, any head/eye within the outline B will have near-IR irradianceof at least 2.5 W/m². FIG. 35E shows the illumination in the cabin ofthe RHD vehicle when the RHD nFOV LEDs (with the surface mountedreflectors) are powered. As shown in FIG. 35E, the horizontal half beamangle of the RHD nFOV LEDs is 41.4 degrees and the vertical half beamangle of the LHD nFOV LEDs is 40.9 degrees. FIG. 36 shows theillumination in the cabin of the vehicle when the wFOV LEDs are powered.As shown in FIG. 36 , the horizontal half beam angle of the wFOV LEDs is155 degrees and the vertical half beam angle of the wFOV LEDs is 130degrees.

As can be seen in FIG. 37 , the LHD nFOV is angled (relative the planeof the planar rear side of the Interior Rearview Mirror ReflectiveElement), and the RHD nFOV also is angled (relative the plane of theplanar rear side of the Interior Rearview Mirror Reflective Element).The principal emission axis of the RHD nFOV however is in a directionthat is different than and is opposite to the direction of the principalemission axis of the LHD nFOV.

The illumination provided by the light sources meets the automotivesafety requirements, including the Safety Goal 2 (ASIL B). The systemshall be classified as exempt according to IEC 62471:2006. The systemoperates in a safe state, whereby the system shall emit no IR radiation.

As can be seen in FIGS. 31A-37 , the driver monitoring camera iscentrally located in the mirror head. The nFOV near-IR LEDs that, in aRHD vehicle, monitor the driver's head, are positioned towards onelateral side of the mirror head and are angled [relative to the plane ofthe rear side of the rear glass surface of the EC Cell (its fourthsurface)] at an acute angle around 10 degrees and view in a directionaway from the lateral side of the mirror head. The nFOV near-IR LEDsthat, in a LHD vehicle, illuminate the driver's head, are positionedcloser to the central region of the mirror head (where thedriver-monitoring camera is disposed) and are angled [relative to theplane of the rear side of the rear glass surface of the EC Cell (itsfourth surface)] at an acute angle around 20 degrees and view in adirection opposite to that of the other nFOV LEDs. The wFOV near-IR LEDsthat provide general cabin/occupant illumination are disposed in themirror head between where the nFOV LEDs are located—and have theirprincipal axis of view perpendicular to the plane of the rear side ofthe rear glass planar surface of the EC Cell.

Thus, upon ignition-on and/or at start-up of the propulsion system (suchas an engine in an internal combustion engine vehicle or an electricdrive in an electric vehicle) of the equipped vehicle, the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly is powered. When powered, the DMScamera captures frames of image data at a frame capture rate of at least15 fps, preferably at least 30 fps, more preferably at least 60 fps.During driving, the ECU of the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview MirrorAssembly is aware of whether the vehicle is being driven in left handdrive (LHD) country or in a right hand drive (RHD) country. This can bebased on data provided by the equipped vehicle based on likes of thecurrent geographic location of the equipped vehicle as determined by thelike of a GPS system. Also, when the vehicle first leaves its vehicleassembly plant, the automaker involved will have the steering column atthe left side of the front cabin region for a LHD vehicle and will havethe steering column at the right side of the front cabin region for aRHD vehicle. When set for a left hand drive vehicle or a right handdrive vehicle/knowing where the vehicle is being driven, the imageprocessing of the image data captured by the DMS camera is set toprocess image data representative of the driver region (e.g., the lefthand front seat region for a left hand drive vehicle or the right handfront seat region for a right hand drive vehicle) for DMS frame capture,and the light sources are controlled or powered to provide enhancedillumination of the driver region for the DMS frame capture. The lightsources of the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly in apreferred embodiment include a first set of light sources (the wFOVlight source) disposed between a second set of light sources (e.g., theleft hand (LH) light source) and a third set of light sources (e.g., theright hand (RH) light source).

For a left hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of a DMS set of captured framesof image data (for a driver monitoring function), the LHD nFOV lightsource (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDs comprising atleast two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or less LEDs) and thewFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) are energized. The illumination provided by the LHD nFOV lightsource and the wFOV light source combine to illuminate the head regionof the driver (who is seated at the left side of the vehicle) with anirradiance of at least 1.25 W/m², more preferably at least 1.8 W/m² andmost preferably at least 2.3 W/m². The LHD nFOV near-IR light source hasa narrow field of illumination cone/zone that encompasses/illuminatesthe driver's head-box region (and thus provides enhanced irradiance atthe driver's face. The wFOV near IR light source is also energizedduring this capture of the DMS set of captured frames of image data forthe driver monitoring function, but the LHD nFOV near-IR light source isnot energized. This selective energizing of one but not the other of theLHD and RHD light sources (taking a LHD drive as illustrative where theLHD light source is energized but the RHD light source is not energized)avoids wastefully generating heat within the mirror head by energizingthe RHD light source that contributes scant illumination of the driversitting in the left-hand driver's seat. The wFOV light source howeveradds some level of irradiance to the driver's head box region and alsoilluminates the area where the driver's hands would be (the steeringwheel, center console, etc.) and thus regardless of whether in a LDH ora RHD vehicle, the wFOV light source is energized all the time thevehicle is powered and operated. Thus, for DMS frame capture in a lefthand drive vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assemblywill only power the LHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light sourcesince these are the light sources that will illuminate the driver of theleft hand drive vehicle. Light emitted by the RHD nFOV light source,when powered, does not cover in any significance any part of the LHdriver so the RHD nFOV light source is not powered during DMS framecapture in a LHD vehicle. Of course in a RHD vehicle, this reverses. ForDMS frame capture in a right hand drive vehicle, the One-Box InteriorDMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will only power the RHD nFOV light sourceand the wFOV light source since these are the light sources that willilluminate the driver of the right hand drive vehicle.

For either a left hand drive vehicle or a right hand drive equipped withthe One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of anOMS set of captured frames of image data (for an occupant monitoringfunction), all three sets of near-IR light sources (LHD nFOV and wFOVand RHD nFOV) are energized so that near-IR floodlighting within thevehicle cabin is maximized, and especially to illuminate likes of asecond row of rear seats or even a third row of rear seats).

For the left hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of an OMS set of capturedframes of image data (for an occupant monitoring or occupant detectionfunction), the LHD nFOV light source, the wFOV light source and the RHDnFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) are all energized. The illumination provided by the LHD nFOV lightsource, the wFOV light source and the RHD nFOV light source combine toilluminate the second row or rear seats and the passenger seat regionwith an irradiance of at least 0.1 W/m², of preferably at least 0.15W/m², and more preferably at least 0.2 W/m², and the illuminationprovided by the wFOV light source and the RHD nFOV light source combineto illuminate the front passenger seat region with an irradiance of atleast 0.15 W/m², of preferably at least 0.25 W/m², and more preferablyat least 0.4 W/m².

Thus, for DMS frame capture in a left hand drive vehicle, the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will only power the LHD nFOV lightsource and the wFOV light source since these are the light sources thatwill illuminate the driver of the left hand drive vehicle, and for OMSframe capture in the left hand drive vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly will power the LHD nFOV light source, the wFOVlight source and the RHD nFOV light source.

Similarly, for a right hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of a DMS set ofcaptured frames of image data (for a driver monitoring function), theRHD nFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) and the wFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IRemitting LEDs comprising at least two LEDs and more preferablycomprising four or less LEDs) are energized. The illumination providedby the RHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light source combine toilluminate the head region of the driver (at the right side of thevehicle) with an irradiance of at least 1.25 W/m², more preferably atleast 1.8 W/m² and most preferably at least 2.3 W/m². The RHD nFOV lightsource has a narrow field of illumination cone that covers the driver'shead box region (and thus provides enhanced irradiance at the driver'sface without increasing the input power to the RHD nFOV light source,while also providing reduced heat generation in the system and reducingthe number of LEDs needed), while the wFOV light source adds some levelof irradiance to the driver's head box region but also illuminates thearea where the driver's hands would be (the steering wheel, centerconsole, etc.). Thus, for DMS frame capture in a right hand drivevehicle, the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will onlypower the RHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light source since theseare the light sources that will illuminate the driver of the right handdrive vehicle. Light emitted by the LHD nFOV light source, when powered,does not cover any part of the RH driver so the LHD nFOV light source isnot powered during DMS frame capture.

For the right hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of an OMS set of capturedframes of image data (for an occupant monitoring or occupant detectionfunction), the RHD nFOV light source, the wFOV light source and the LHDnFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) are all energized. The illumination provided by the RHD nFOV lightsource, the wFOV light source and the LHD nFOV light source combine toilluminate the second row or rear seats and the passenger seat regionwith an irradiance of at least 0.1 W/m², of preferably at least 0.15W/m², and more preferably at least 0.2 W/m², and the illuminationprovided by the wFOV light source and the LHD nFOV light source combineto illuminate the front passenger seat region with an irradiance of atleast 0.15 W/m², of preferably at least 0.25 W/m², and more preferablyat least 0.4 W/m².

Thus, for DMS frame capture in a right hand drive vehicle, the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will only power the RHD nFOV lightsource and the wFOV light source since these are the light sources thatwill illuminate the driver of the right hand drive vehicle, and for OMSframe capture in the right hand drive vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly will power the RHD nFOV light source, the wFOVlight source and the LHD nFOV light source.

The illumination protocols/scenarios described herein can be dynamic inthat they can adjust to a current driving situation. For example, theillumination protocols can adjust for daytime/nighttime (by time of dayor time of night) driving conditions; the illumination protocols canadjust responsive to a level of ambient cabin lighting, such as canoccur on a sunny day vs cloudy day or at dawn or dusk; or theillumination protocols can adjust (such as for thermal management) totemporarily de-rate in-cabin illumination for a temporary limited periodof time after ignition-on or start-up occurs when the vehicle has beenparked out in the sun on a hot sunny day.

Whether the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly is disposed ina LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle, the DMS camera, for purposes ofoccupancy detection, preferably has a field of illumination that coversthe seating positions (front and rear) of occupants of the vehicle.Similarly, to provide near-IR floodlighting of such passengers seated inthe interior cabin of the vehicle, the field of illumination by the wFOVnear-IR illuminator, whether the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview MirrorAssembly is used in a LHD or a RHD vehicle, covers the seating positions(front and rear) of occupants of the vehicle. However, for DMSfunctionality, it is desirable that the driver's face/head/body isnear-IR illuminated as intensely as possible. Thus, for a LHD vehicle,it is desirable to have the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator directed towardthe driver of the LHD vehicle, while for a RHD vehicle, it is desirableto have the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator directed toward the driver ofthe RHD vehicle. Given that the central area of the DMS mirror head haslimited space to accommodate the camera, a wFOV near-IR illuminator, annFOV near-IR illuminator and the mirror pivot joint andsimilar/associated hardware, the nFOV near-IR illuminators, forpractical reasons, are disposed to the left side of the camera or to theright side of the camera.

Thus, and such as shown in FIGS. 31C, 33B, 33C, 35A, 35B and 36 (anddiscussed above), the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is tilted or angledtoward the left hand side of the vehicle, with the angle of tiltincreasing the further the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator is positioneddistance from the center of the mirror head, and the RHD nFOV near-IRilluminator needs to be tilted or angled toward the right hand side ofthe vehicle, with the angle of tilt decreasing the further the RHD nFOVnear-IR illuminator is positioned distance from the center of the mirrorhead.

Optionally, for practical reasons, such as manufacturing and packagingand cost reasons, it can be desirable to have the nFOV near-IRilluminators on one side (e.g., the left side) or the other side (e.g.,the right side) of the camera centrally disposed in the mirror head orto have the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on one side (e.g., the leftside) and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on the other side (e.g., theright side). For example, and such as shown in FIG. 39A, a One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly may have the camera and the wFOVnear-IR illuminator centrally disposed at the mirror head (with thecamera centrally located above or below the wFOV near-IR illuminator),with one of the nFOV near-IR illuminators (e.g., the LHD nFOV near-IRilluminator that is for illuminating the driver of a LHD vehicle)disposed at the left side of the mirror head (at the left side of thecamera) and the other of the nFOV near-IR illuminators (e.g., the RHDnFOV near-IR illuminator that is for illuminating the driver of a RHDvehicle) disposed at the right side of the mirror head (at the rightside of the camera). Alternatively, it is contemplated that the LHD nFOVnear-IR illuminator may be disposed at the right side of the mirror headand the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator may be disposed at the left side ofthe mirror head.

Optionally, the nFOV near-IR illuminators may be more centrally disposedin the mirror head (such as above or below the centrally located wFOVnear-IR illuminator). For example, and such as shown in FIG. 39B, thewFOV near-IR illuminator may be centrally located (e.g., above or belowthe centrally located camera), and the nFOV near-IR illuminators may bedisposed at or above (or below) the wFOV near-IR illuminator. As shownin FIG. 39B, one of the nFOV near-IR illuminators (e.g., the LHD nFOVnear-IR illuminator that is for illuminating the driver of a LHDvehicle) is disposed at the left side of the centerline of the mirrorhead (at the left side of the camera) and the other of the nFOV near-IRilluminators (e.g., the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator that is forilluminating the driver of a RHD vehicle) is disposed at the right sideof the centerline of the mirror head (at the right side of the camera).Alternatively, it is contemplated that the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminatormay be disposed at the right side of the centerline of the mirror headand the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator may be disposed at the left side ofthe centerline of the mirror head. It is further contemplated that theLHD nFOV near-IR illuminator and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator may bevertically arranged at the centerline of the mirror head, with one abovethe other.

Optionally, the wFOV near-IR illuminator may be centrally disposed(e.g., above or below the centrally disposed camera), and both nFOVnear-IR illuminators may be disposed at one side or the other of themirror head. For example, and such as shown in FIG. 39C, the wFOVnear-IR illuminator is centrally disposed (e.g., above or below thecentrally disposed camera), and the LHD and RHD nFOV near-IRilluminators are disposed at the right side of the mirror head, with theLHD nFOV near-IR illuminator disposed closer to the center of the mirrorhead than the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator. Alternatively, and such asshown in FIG. 39D, the wFOV near-IR illuminator is centrally disposed(e.g., above or below the centrally disposed camera), and the LHD andRHD nFOV near-IR illuminators are disposed at the left side of themirror head, with the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator disposed closer tothe center of the mirror head than the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator.Optionally, the wFOV near-IR illuminator and/or the nFOV near-IRilluminators may be disposed at a lower region of the mirror head (seeFIGS. 39C and 113D) or may be disposed at an upper region of the mirrorhead (see FIG. 39E). Thus, and such as shown in FIG. 39E, one or both ofthe nFOV near-IR illuminators may be higher up toward the upper regionof the mirror head, and/or the wFOV near-IR illuminator may be higher uptoward the upper region of the mirror head.

In a vehicle (whether LHD or RHD), the driver grasps the mirror head toadjust what the interior mirror reflective element views so that thedriver sees out the rear window of the equipped vehicle. The cameramoves in tandem with movement of the mirror head by the driver. In sodoing, the driver moves the mirror head to a position/orientation wherethe driver-monitoring camera within the mirror head is viewing the headof the driver.

The near-IR signal emitted by the LEDs is preferably at 940 nmwavelength so that it is more readily recognized by the DMS processor(there is a decrease in ambient solar light at that wavelength due toabsorption of 940 nm light by water in the atmosphere). The DMS cameraincludes a filter that allows/passes that wavelength and attenuatesother light. The camera will thus operate with an enhanced 940 nmsignal, which enhances driver monitoring in situations where the driveris wearing sunglasses. The rest of the in-cabin light (i.e., the ambientlight) is filtered so the camera focuses on the 940 nm wavelength andthen avoids “seeing” reflection at sunglasses. The DMS function mayprovide dynamic camera control (increase or decrease exposure time orframe capture rate) and LED control (increase or decrease power to LEDsand/or increase or decrease on time) to accommodate changes in lightingand/or to accommodate driver sunglasses or the like.

The mirror reflector may comprise a stack of coatings specific to theneeds related to three basic requirements: (i) reflect much of thevisible light to prevent seeing details such as the camera behind theglass (this can also be stated as transmitting less than 25% of visiblelight, one way through the glass subassembly), (ii) transmit nearinfrared (NIR) that comes out from NIR LEDs behind the glass, reflectsoff occupants and comes back to the camera behind the glass (the goalfor the coating is greater than 95% transmission at 940 nm wavelength)and (iii) control the color of reflected light incident at the mirrorreflective element to be neutral or to the blue side for anymanufacturing variance, avoiding red and green shifts. Also, due tofixed as well as variable costs, it is desirable to have the minimumnumber of layers in the coating as well as minimum total thickness ofall layers.

Sodalime glass comprises a planar air-side separated from a tin-side bya thickness dimension of the glass plate or substrate. The glass plateis formed by moving molten glass across a bath of molten tin. As aconsequence, the outer glass surface at the tin side of the floatsodalime glass plate develops a layer that is rich in/impregnatedby/mixed with tin (i.e., Sn) atoms. This tin-rich glass surfaceconstitutes a SodaSn layer at the side/surface of the sodalimesubstrate. FIG. 40 shows a stack of thin film coatings formed withalternating layers, which is the layer layup with thicknesses andmaterials that make up the coating. These coatings are placed on thethird surface of the mirror “cell” assembly (i.e., the third surface ofa laminate-type electrochromic mirror reflective element, such as thetypes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,274,501; 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties).The SodaSn layer is not part of the coating, but is an inherent layer ofSn due to the manufacturing of the float glass. The presence of the Snalso improves adhesion of the coating at that side of the glasssubstrate. For the final layer, the ITO is a transparent electricallyconductive layer required for the electrochromic function and it isneeded on both sides of the solid polymer matrix electrolyte preferablyforming the electrochromic medium of the laminate-type electrochromicmirror reflective element.

A visible-light transmitting/visible-light reflecting/near-IR lighttransmitting transflective substrate suitable for use in One-BoxElectrochromic Interior DMS Mirror Assembly is shown in FIG. 40 , whichshows layer thicknesses for the alternating Nb₂O₅ and SiO₂ layers of thetransflector stack. FIG. 41 shows the thicknesses of the layers in agraph form. The transflective mirror reflector comprises a first layerof Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of 37.62 nm, a first layer of SiO₂having a physical thickness of 77.41 nm, a second layer of Nb₂O₅ havinga physical thickness of 40.67 nm, a second layer of SiO₂ having aphysical thickness of 83.25 nm, a third layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physicalthickness of 53.29 nm, a third layer of SiO₂ having a physical thicknessof 96.76 nm, a fourth layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of64.55 nm, a fourth layer of SiO₂ having a physical thickness of 135.11nm, a fifth layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of 82.21 nm, afifth layer of SiO₂ having a physical thickness of 68.21 nm, and a layerof ITO having a physical thickness of 120 nm.

The transmittance properties and color plot of the transflector areshown in FIGS. 42 and 43 , respectively). The transmission of lightpassing through the mirror reflective element of FIG. 40 is plotted (vs.wavelength of light) in FIG. 44A. FIG. 44B shows the transmission oflight having a wavelength of 940 nm vs incident angle, while FIG. 44Cshows the transmission of visible light vs incident angle. Thereflection of light (vs wavelength) for the mirror reflective element ofFIG. 40 is shown in FIG. 44D. The substrate upon which the transflectorstack is coated is a vehicular interior mirror-shaped planar soda-limeglass substrate of 2 millimeters plate thickness. For use as the rearsubstrate in a laminate-type EC cell (such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,274,501; 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and to reduceoverall assembly weight, a thinner glass substrate is preferred. Forexample, a glass substrate of plate thickness 1.6 mm or less is morepreferred and a glass substrate of plate thickness 1.1 mm or less ismost preferred. Also, use of low-iron glass (as discussed herein) ispreferred in order to increase both overall visible light transmissionand near-IR (such as at 940 nm) light transmission. For example,Guardian UltraClear® Low-Iron Glass (available from Guardian GlassCompany, 2300 Harmon Rd, Auburn Hills, Mich., USA) is clearer and ismore color neutral than standard soda-lime float glass, and is availablein plate thicknesses from 2 mm to 12 mm. Also, Guardian ExtraClear®low-iron glass (available from Guardian Glass 19, rue du Puits RomainL-8070 Bertrange Grande-Duchy de Luxembourg) can be used. Also, CorningInfra-Red Transmitting Glass 9754 can be used, preferably in conjunctionwith use of an IR cut-off filter that cuts off transmission through theglass substrate of IR radiation above 1 micron wavelength.

Photopic visible light reflectivity (measured first-surface inaccordance with SAE J964a which is the SAE Recommended Practice fordetermining total and specular reflectance for vehicular mirrors withflat and curved surfaces and for determining diffuse reflectance andhaze for mirrors with a flat surface) for a transflector-coated glasssubstrate (such as the embodiment that is shown in FIG. 40 ) preferablyis at least 45% R, more preferably is at least 55% R and most preferablyis at least 65% R. Visible light transmission for a transflector-coatedglass substrate preferably is at least 15% T, more preferably is atleast 20% T and most preferably is at least 25% T, and preferably isless than 35% T, more preferably less than 30% T [measured using CIEStandard Illuminant D65 and a photopic detector having a spectralresponse that follows the CIE photopic luminous efficiency function(which mimics the human eye's response in the visible region)]. Near-IRtransmission at the near-IR emission peak wavelength (such as 940 nm) ofa near-IR emitting light source for a transflector-coated glasssubstrate (such as the embodiment that is shown in FIG. 40 ) preferablyis at least 60% T, more preferably is at least 70% T and most preferablyis at least 80% T.

One-Box Electrochromic Interior DMS Mirror Assembly preferably comprisesa two-substrate laminate-type EC mirror reflective element that has (i)a front glass planar substrate (with a first surface and a secondsurface that is separated from the first surface by a thicknessdimension of the front glass substrate) and (ii) a rear glass planarsubstrate (with a third surface and a fourth surface that is separatedfrom the third surface by a thickness dimension of the rear glasssubstrate). In the One-Box Electrochromic Interior DMS Mirror Assembly,the rear substrate comprises the transflective mirror substrate of FIG.40 , and the multi-layer stack of coatings comprises the third surfaceof the rear substrate of the two-substrate laminate-type EC mirrorreflective element (a.k.a. an “EC Cell”). The front and rear substratesare juxtaposed in the EC Cell, and an electrochromic medium issandwiched between (a) the second surface (that comprises a transparentelectrically conductive coating, preferably of ITO, with a sheetresistance less than 30 ohms/square preferably, more preferably lessthan 25 ohms/square and most preferably less than 20 ohms/square) of thefront glass substrate and (b) the multi-layer stack transflector-coatedsurface of the rear glass substrate. The electrochromic medium (i)contacts the transparent electrically conductive coating at the secondsurface of the front substrate and (ii) contacts the outermost layer ofthe multi-layer stack transflector-coated third surface of the rearglass substrate. So that electrically conductive contact to the ECmedium can be made, the outermost layer of the multi-layer stacktransflector-coated third surface of the rear glass substrate comprisesa transparent electrically conductive coating (preferably a layer ofindium tin oxide; i.e., ITO) with a sheet resistance less than 30ohms/square preferably, more preferably less than 25 ohms/square andmost preferably less than 20 ohms/square.

Note that in the likes of the alternating multi-layer stack of FIG. 40 ,and depending on other factors in the overall construction, fewer, moreor different layers can be used. For example, a third surface conductivetransflector of the One-Box Electrochromic Interior DMS Mirror Assemblyis shown. This approach incorporates a single semimetal/semiconductinglayer of Silicon (Si) and has a high T % (around 90%) at 940 nm andaround 40% in the visible region. In addition, the visual appearance isneutral. The advantage of this design is that is reduces the number oflayers and reduces total stack thickness. For the multi-layer stack ofthin film coatings that forms the mirror transflector of an interiormirror reflective element suitable for use for a One-Box DMS InteriorRearview Mirror Assembly, total physical stack thickness (i.e., the sumof the physical thickness of all of the individual thin film coatinglayers of the multi-layer stack) preferably is less than 1,500 nm, morepreferably is less than 1,000 nm, and most preferably is less than 750nm. This makes the DMS stack easier and less expensive to manufacture.Of course, use of a Si semiconductor layer can be contemplated for morethan one layer in the multi-layer stack.

The mirror transflector may include a silicon layer due to the highindex of refraction (3.5 to 4) of Silicon (but its extinctioncoefficient is higher than for dielectrics such as NbO or TiO₂ or SiO₂).Optionally, the mirror transflector could use a layer of Germanium. Thelayers alternate a high index of refraction layer with a lower index ofrefraction layer to achieve the best match of transmittance andreflectance. The number of layers is reduced by using a layer of highindex silicon or germanium. The layers have different refractiveindices, and the amount of such difference relates to how many layersmay be required to achieve the desired effect. Larger index differencesbetween layers can lead to requiring less layers. The mirrortransflector may use Niobium oxide instead of Titanium oxide because thesputter deposition rate for NbO/Nb₂O₅ is faster than the sputterdeposition rate for TiO₂.

The layers are sputter deposited onto the substrate used in the mirrorreflective element using pressed oxide ceramic targets. The targetspreferably are rotary targets (magnetron). In the vacuum chamber wherethe layers are deposited, the chamber may include a mixture of Oxygenand Argon. The layers preferably are sputtered via medium frequency(about 40 KHz) sputtering (MF sputtering). Twin rotary magnetronspreferably are used, with two targets side-by-side. A 40 KHz sine wavealternating voltage (positive and negative) is applied. The process mayuse two (or more) twin-targets per chamber. Silicon may be sputterdeposited using a pure Silicon target.

The target optical design for the multi-layer stack is to havetransmissivity of at least 20% T for visible light and at least 60% Tfor near-IR light, and to achieve this in the most economical andeffective way. The number of layers and refractivity of layers andsputter rate of layers are balanced to economically achieve the desiredeffect. The process may utilize aspects of the processes described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,751,489, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Mid-frequency AC Sputtering (such as at 40 KHz) in amulti-station/multi-target in-line conveyorized-trayipallet vacuumdeposition process is a preferred deposition technology for thedielectric High Index/Low Index film alternating coating layers thatmake up the multi-layer stack forming the mirror transflector of themirror reflective element of the One-Box DMS interior Rearview MirrorAssembly. Mid-frequency AC Sputtering (a.k.a. Medium AC Sputtering) ispreferred over RF Sputtering for coating dielectrics because it operatesin the kHz rather than MHz range and thus requires less sophisticatedand less expensive power sources and is a process that is adaptable tolarge scale applications. MF or Mid-frequency AC power supplies cover awide range of voltage outputs between 300 V to 1200 V—generally in the25 to 300 kW range—at frequencies between 20 to 70 kHz with 40 kHz usedmost commonly. For forming likes of the Niobium Oxide or Silicon Dioxidelayers of the multi-layer transflector, reactive sputtering preferablyis used where a reactive gas (oxygen) is introduced into the plasma toform an oxide layer deposited onto the substrate being coated. InMid-frequency AC Sputtering, two cathodes are used with an AC currentswitched back and forth between them which cleans the target surfacewith each reversal to reduce the charge build up on dielectrics thatleads to arcing which can spew droplets into the plasma and preventuniform thin film growth.

As the substrates are moved past the targets, the targets sputterdeposit the materials onto the moving substrates. A carrier movingcontinuously at 1 meter/min under a sputtering target would deposit afilm thickness of 25 nm. For ITO: NDDR is (10 nm·m/min)/(KW/m) withabout 10 KW/m of target length maximum power density. Generally, for aconstant deposition power level and dimensions, the rate of depositionof NbO is around 2.5 times greater than for likes of SiO₂ or TiO₂.Generally, for a constant deposition power level and dimensions, therate of deposition of ITO is around 2 times greater than for NbO/Nb₂O₅and is around 5 times greater than for likes of SiO₂ or TiO₂.

Combined with arc detection and suppression circuitry, MF orMid-frequency AC Sputtering offers the advantages of improving processstability and increasing deposition rates as well as overcoming aproblem faced when trying to reactively sputter a dielectric coatingwith DC sputtering in that the anode can become coated with aninsulating coating. In the case of AC sputtering, the cathodes act as ananode every half cycle and provide a “clean” anode surface.Mid-frequency AC Sputtering for the multi-layer HI/LO index coatings forthe mirror transflector of the mirror reflective element of the One-BoxDMS Interior Rearview Mirror Assembly preferably employs dual magnetronsto confine the electrons above the target and reduce arcing for processcontrol. Optionally, either “Balanced” or “Unbalanced” magnetrons can bearranged side by side, tilted towards each other, or face to face.

As an alternative to in-line vacuum deposition, deposition of thevarious thin film dielectric coatings to form the multi-layer HL-stackmirror transflector can be deposited onto glass substrates in a batchvacuum deposition chamber. For example, a plurality of individual cutmirror-shaped glass substrates can be loaded into a planetary fixture ina vacuum deposition chamber. For deposition of, for example, NiobiumOxide and Silicon Oxide layers, a cylindrical vacuum chamber can beequipped with two (one for NbO and one for SiO₂) twin Mid-Frequency ACSputtering deposition targets that sputter the respective layers ontothe glass substrates as the glass substrates are rotated past thesputtering targets in the vacuum chamber, such rotation enhancinguniformity of coating onto the plurality of substrates being coated.Alternatively, electron beam evaporation can be used with an electronbeam evaporating the likes of Niobium Oxide and Silicon Oxide/Dioxidefrom individual crucibles in a multiple-crucible turret.

Optionally, the mirror reflective element may comprise a double laminateelectrochromic mirror element or construction having a first glasssubstrate and a second glass substrate with a first electrochromicmedium disposed therebetween, and a second electro-optic medium (e.g.,an electrochromic medium, such as a solid polymer matrix or SPM) and athird glass substrate behind the second or rear glass substrate. Thecold mirror coating visible reflection can be relaxed from the current60%-67% reflectivity to more like 45% Reflection of visible lightbecause the SPM can block more visible light with reduced effect onnear-IR light. The second or rear SPM can be left dark and only clearedor undimmed when visible camera images are needed, which hides thecamera behind the glass but allows it to be visible if and when desired.This system has advantages over using a liquid crystal shutter in thetransmission of near-IR light. A higher percent of near-IR light canpass through SPM. Also, the range of transmission control for visiblelight is a much larger range and goes to clear. The LC shuttertransmission for near-IR light is about 85% and the visible light rangecontrol is from 0% to 25% T. SPM near-IR light transmission is about100% when clear, about 90% when dark, and SPM visible light transmissionis about 100% when clear and about 30% when dark. Thus, the mirrorreflective element thus may compriseglass-ITO-SPM-ITO-stack˜R45%-glass-ITO-SPM-ITO-glass.

Therefore, a vehicular driver monitoring system includes a vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head adjustablyattached at a mounting base, the mounting base configured to attach atan interior portion of a vehicle. The mirror head comprises a mirrorreflective element. A driver monitoring camera is accommodated by themirror head, and the driver monitoring camera moves in tandem with themirror head when, with the mounting base attached at the interiorportion of the vehicle, the mirror head is adjusted relative to themounting base to adjust a driver's rearward view. A near infrared lightemitter is accommodated by the mirror head, and the near infrared lightemitter moves in tandem with the mirror head when, with the mountingbase attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, the mirror head isadjusted relative to the mounting base to adjust the driver's rearwardview. The near infrared light emitter comprises at least a first lightemitting element and a second light emitting element. The first lightemitting element is oriented at the mirror head so that a beam of lightemitted by the first light emitting element would be directed toward adriver's region of a left hand drive vehicle if the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly were installed in the left hand drive vehicleand adjusted to provide the driver of the left hand drive vehicle arearward view. The second light emitting element is oriented at themirror head so that a beam of light emitted by the second light emittingelement would be directed toward a driver's region of a right hand drivevehicle if the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly wereinstalled in the right hand drive vehicle and adjusted to provide thedriver of the right hand drive vehicle a rearward view. Controlcircuitry is operable to enable the first light emitting element or thesecond light emitting element responsive to indication that thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed or will beinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle or a right hand drive vehicle.

The control circuitry may comprise a processor operable to process imagedata captured by the driver monitoring camera, and, with the mountingbase attached at the interior portion of the left hand drive vehicle orthe right hand drive vehicle, the processor processes image datacaptured by the driver monitoring camera to determine at least oneselected from the group consisting of (i) driver attentiveness, (ii)driver drowsiness and (iii) driver gaze direction.

The driver monitoring camera and the near infrared light emitter areaccommodated by the mirror head behind the mirror reflective element,and the driver monitoring camera views through the mirror reflectiveelement and the near infrared light emitter emits near infrared lightthrough the mirror reflective element.

The driver monitoring camera views through a transflective mirrorreflector of the mirror reflective element, and the near infrared lightemitter emits near infrared light that passes through the transflectivemirror reflector of the mirror reflective element.

The near infrared light emitter may comprise at least one wider beamlight emitting element, and the at least one wider beam light emittingelement is activated when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for an occupant monitoring function. The first light emittingelement is angled relative to the at least one wider beam light emittingelement toward a left side of the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly, and the second light emitting element is angled relative tothe at least one wider beam light emitting element toward a right sideof the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly. The first lightemitting element may be disposed at the left side of the at least onewider beam light emitting element, and the second light emitting elementmay be disposed at the right side of the at least one wider beam lightemitting element. The first light emitting element may comprise at leasttwo narrower beam light emitting diodes, and the second light emittingelement may comprise at least two narrower beam light emitting diodes,and the narrower beam light emitting diodes emit a narrower beam oflight, when energized, as compared to the beam of light emitted by theat least one wider beam light emitting element when energized.

The control circuitry may enable the first light emitting elementresponsive to indication that the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly is installed in a left hand drive vehicle. The controlcircuitry may enable the first light emitting element responsive toindication that the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly will beinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle.

The control circuitry may enable the second light emitting elementresponsive to indication that the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly is installed in a right hand drive vehicle. The controlcircuitry may enable the second light emitting element responsive toindication that the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly will beinstalled in a right hand drive vehicle.

The control circuitry enables the first light emitting element or thesecond light emitting element responsive to an input signal at a vehicleassembly plant where the vehicle is assembled.

The mirror reflective element is attached at a mirror attachment plate,and the driver monitoring camera and the near infrared light emitter aredisposed behind the mirror attachment plate and are aligned withrespective apertures through the mirror attachment plate. A heatdissipating element may be attached at the mirror attachment plate. Themirror attachment plate and the heat dissipating element may encase thedriver monitoring camera, the near infrared light emitter, and thecontrol circuitry and function to limit electromagnetic interference ofthe driver monitoring camera, the near infrared light emitter, and thecontrol circuitry.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in a lefthand drive vehicle (so that the first near infrared light emitter isenabled for the driver monitoring function), and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the driver monitoringfunction, the first near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light and the second near infrared light emitter is notelectrically powered to emit light. With the vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly installed in the left hand drive vehicle, and when thedriver monitoring camera captures image data for an occupant monitoringfunction, the second near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light, and the first near infrared light emitter may not beelectrically powered to emit light.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in aright hand drive vehicle (so that the second near infrared light emitteris enabled for the driver monitoring function), and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the driver monitoringfunction, the second near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light and the first near infrared light emitter is notelectrically powered to emit light. With the vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly installed in the right hand drive vehicle, and when thedriver monitoring camera captures image data for an occupant monitoringfunction, the first near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light, and the second near infrared light emitter may not beelectrically powered to emit light.

Therefore, a vehicular driver monitoring system comprises a vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head adjustablyattached at a mounting base, the mounting base configured to attach atan interior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular drivermonitoring system. The mirror head comprises a mirror reflectiveelement. The mirror head accommodates electronic circuitry. A drivermonitoring camera is accommodated by the mirror head, and the drivermonitoring camera moves in tandem with the mirror head when, with themounting base attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, themirror head is adjusted relative to the mounting base to adjust arearward view of a driver of the vehicle. A first near infrared lightemitter and a second near infrared light emitter are accommodated withinthe mirror head. The first and second near infrared light emitters movein tandem with the mirror head when, with the mounting base attached atthe interior portion of the vehicle, the mirror head is adjustedrelative to the mounting base to adjust the driver's rearward view. Thefirst near infrared light emitter is accommodated within the mirror headso that a beam of light emitted by the first near infrared light emitteris directed toward a driver's region of a left hand drive vehicle whenthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the lefthand drive vehicle and is adjusted by the driver of the vehicle to setthe driver's rearward view. The second near infrared light emitter isaccommodated within the mirror head so that a beam of light emitted bythe second near infrared light emitter, when electrically powered toemit light, is directed toward a driver's region of a right hand drivevehicle when the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isinstalled in the right hand drive vehicle and is adjusted by the driverof the vehicle to set the driver's rearward view. When the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in aleft hand drive vehicle, the first near infrared light emitter, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emits light for a driver monitoringfunction. When the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isinstalled or will be installed in a right hand drive vehicle, the secondnear infrared light emitter, when electrically powered to emit light,emits light for the driver monitoring function.

The electronic circuitry may comprise a processor operable to processimage data captured by the driver monitoring camera, and wherein, withthe mounting base attached at the interior portion of the left handdrive vehicle or the right hand drive vehicle, the processor processesimage data captured by the driver monitoring camera to determine atleast one selected from the group consisting of (i) driverattentiveness, (ii) driver drowsiness and (iii) driver gaze direction.

The driver monitoring camera and the first and second near infraredlight emitters are accommodated by the mirror head behind the mirrorreflective element, and the driver monitoring camera views through themirror reflective element and the first and second near infrared lightemitters, when electrically powered to emit light, emit near infraredlight through the mirror reflective element. The driver monitoringcamera may view through a transflective mirror reflector of the mirrorreflective element, and the first and second near infrared lightemitters, when electrically powered to emit light, emit near infraredlight that may pass through the transflective mirror reflector of themirror reflective element.

The mirror reflective element may comprise an electrochromic mirrorreflective element having a front planar glass substrate and a rearplanar glass substrate. The front planar glass substrate comprises afirst planar glass surface separated from a second planar glass surfaceby a plate thickness dimension of the front planar glass substrate, andthe rear planar glass substrate comprises a third planar glass surfaceseparated from a fourth planar glass surface by a plate thicknessdimension of the rear planar glass substrate. The second planar glasssurface of the front planar glass substrate has a transparentelectrically conductive coating disposed thereat, and the third planarglass surface of the rear planar glass substrate has the transflectivemirror reflector disposed thereat. An electrochromic medium is disposedbetween and contacts the transparent electrically conductive coatingdisposed at the second planar glass surface of the front planar glasssubstrate and the transflective mirror reflector disposed at the thirdplanar glass surface of the rear planar glass substrate.

The transflective mirror reflector may comprise alternating thin filmlayers of Nb₂O₅ and SiO₂. The transflective mirror reflector maycomprise no more than five layers of Nb₂O₅ and five layers of SiO₂. Thetransflective mirror reflector may comprise a first layer of Nb₂O₅having a physical thickness of 37.62 nm, a first layer of SiO₂ having aphysical thickness of 77.41 nm, a second layer of Nb₂O₅ having aphysical thickness of 40.67 nm, a second layer of SiO₂ having a physicalthickness of 83.25 nm, a third layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physicalthickness of 53.29 nm, a third layer of SiO₂ having a physical thicknessof 96.76 nm, a fourth layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of64.55 nm, a fourth layer of SiO₂ having a physical thickness of 135.11nm, a fifth layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of 82.21 nm, afifth layer of SiO₂ having a physical thickness of 68.21 nm, and a layerof ITO having a physical thickness of 120 nm.

The mirror reflective element may comprise a prismatic mirror reflectiveelement, and the prismatic mirror reflective element comprises a glasssubstrate, which has a wedge-shaped cross-section having a first planarglass surface separated from a second planar glass surface, and theplane of first planar glass surface slopes at an angle relative to theplane of the second planar glass surface. The second planar glasssurface is an uncoated glass surface, and the transflective mirrorreflector is disposed at the second planar glass surface of the glasssubstrate of the prismatic mirror reflective element.

The mirror head may comprise a stray light blocking element disposedbetween a lens of the driver monitoring camera and the mirror reflectiveelement. The stray light blocking element circumscribes the lens andengages a rear surface of the mirror reflective element to block straylight from entering the lens. The stray light blocking element maycomprise a cone-shaped element attached to the driver monitoring camera.The stray light blocking element may comprise a flexible cone-shapedelement attached to the driver monitoring camera.

With the mounting base attached at the interior portion of the left handdrive vehicle or the right hand drive vehicle, the driver monitoringcamera and the first and second near infrared light emitters may bedisposed at a lower region of the mirror head and below the mirrorreflective element.

The vehicular driver monitoring system may comprise at least one widerbeam near infrared light emitter accommodated within the mirror head.The at least one wider beam near infrared light emitter is electricallypowered to emit light when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for an occupant monitoring function.

The first near infrared light emitter may be angled relative to the atleast one wider beam near infrared light emitter toward a left side ofthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, and the second nearinfrared light emitter may be angled relative to the at least one widerbeam near infrared light emitter toward a right side of the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly. The first near infrared light emittermay be disposed at the left side of the at least one wider beam nearinfrared light emitter, and the second near infrared light emitter maybe disposed at the right side of the at least one wider beam nearinfrared light emitter.

The first near infrared light emitter may comprise at least two narrowerbeam light emitting diodes, and the second near infrared light emittermay comprise at least two narrower beam light emitting diodes. Thenarrower beam light emitting diodes may emit a narrower beam of light,when electrically powered to emit light, as compared to the beam oflight emitted by the at least one wider beam near infrared light emitterwhen electrically powered to emit light.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in a lefthand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for the driver monitoring function, the first near infrared lightemitter is electrically powered to emit light and the second nearinfrared light emitter is not electrically powered to emit light. Withthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the lefthand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for the driver monitoring function, the at least one wider beamnear infrared light emitter may be electrically powered to emit light.With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theleft hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera capturesimage data for the driver monitoring function, the at least one widerbeam near infrared light emitter may not be electrically powered to emitlight. With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed inthe left hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring cameracaptures image data for the occupant monitoring function, the secondnear infrared light emitter and the at least one wider beam nearinfrared light emitter may be electrically powered to emit light. Withthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the lefthand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for the occupant monitoring function, the first near infrared lightemitter may also electrically powered to emit light.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in aright hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera capturesimage data for the driver monitoring function, the second near infraredlight emitter is electrically powered to emit light and the first nearinfrared light emitter is not electrically powered to emit light. Withthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the righthand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for the driver monitoring function, the at least one wider beamnear infrared light emitter may be electrically powered to emit light.With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theright hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera capturesimage data for the driver monitoring function, the at least one widerbeam near infrared light emitter may not be electrically powered to emitlight. With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed inthe right hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring cameracaptures image data for the occupant monitoring function, the first nearinfrared light emitter and the at least one wider beam near infraredlight emitter may be electrically powered to emit light. With thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the right handdrive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image datafor the occupant monitoring function, the second near infrared lightemitter may also electrically powered to emit light.

The electronic circuitry may enable the first near infrared lightemitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to indication thatthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in or willbe installed in a left hand drive vehicle, and the electronic circuitrymay enable the second near infrared light emitter for the drivermonitoring function responsive to indication that the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly is installed in or will be installed in a righthand drive vehicle.

The electronic circuitry may enable the first near infrared lightemitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to the indicationindicating that the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle. The indication may comprise aninput provided to the electronic circuitry at a vehicle manufacturingfacility where the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isinstalled in the left hand drive vehicle.

The electronic circuitry may enable the first near infrared lightemitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to the indicationindicating that the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly will beinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle. The indication may comprise aninput provided to the electronic circuitry at a mirror manufacturingfacility where the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isassembled.

The electronic circuitry may enable the second near infrared lightemitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to indication thatthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in a righthand drive vehicle. The indication may comprise an input provided to theelectronic circuitry at a vehicle manufacturing facility where thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the righthand drive vehicle.

The electronic circuitry may enable the second near infrared lightemitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to indication thatthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly will be installed in aright hand drive vehicle. The indication may comprise an input providedto the electronic circuitry at a mirror manufacturing facility where thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is manufactured.

The electronic circuitry may set the first near infrared light emitteror the second near infrared light emitter for the driver monitoringfunction responsive to an input signal at a vehicle assembly plant wherethe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed at thevehicle. The electronic circuitry may set the first near infrared lightemitter or the second near infrared light emitter for the drivermonitoring function responsive to an input signal at a mirrormanufacturer assembly plant where the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly is manufactured.

The interior portion of the vehicle may comprise a portion of awindshield of the vehicle at an in-cabin side of the windshield of thevehicle.

The vehicular driver monitoring system may comprise an occupantmonitoring camera disposed at a display screen located at an A-pillar ata passenger side of the vehicle.

The mirror reflective element is attached at a mirror attachment plate,and the driver monitoring camera and the first and second near infraredlight emitters may be disposed behind the mirror attachment plate andare aligned with respective apertures through the mirror attachmentplate. The vehicular driver monitoring system may comprise a heatdissipating element attached at the mirror attachment plate. The mirrorattachment plate and the heat dissipating element encase the drivermonitoring camera, the first and second near infrared light emitters,and the electronic circuitry and function to limit electromagneticinterference of the driver monitoring camera, the first and second nearinfrared light emitters, and the electronic circuitry.

Image data captured by the driver monitoring camera may be used, withthe mounting base attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, todetermine when the driver attempts to use an infotainment system of thevehicle, and, responsive to determination that the driver is attemptinguse the infotainment system, and responsive to the vehicle beingoperated by the driver, the infotainment system does not respond to useby the driver of the infotainment system.

Image data captured by the driver monitoring camera may be processed todetermine a driver gesture, and responsive to determination of a drivergesture, a garage door opener system of the vehicle is operated. Thedetermined driver gesture may comprise the driver holding up one, two orthree fingers.

The vehicular driver monitoring system may comprise a central nearinfrared light emitter accommodated within the mirror head and disposedbetween the first near infrared light emitter and the second nearinfrared light emitter. The first and second near infrared lightemitters may be disposed at a right-side region of the mirror head. Thefirst near infrared light emitter may be angled relative to the mirrorreflective element with a principal beam axis of light emitted by thefirst near infrared light emitter being at an angle of greater than 10degrees and less than 30 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to themirror reflective element. The first near infrared light emitter may beangled relative to the mirror reflective element with a principal beamaxis of light emitted by the first near infrared light emitter being atan angle of greater than 15 degrees and less than 25 degrees relative toa line perpendicular to the mirror reflective element. The second nearinfrared light emitter may be angled relative to the mirror reflectiveelement with a principal beam axis of light emitted by the second nearinfrared light emitter being at an angle of greater than 0 degrees andless than 20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the mirrorreflective element. The second near infrared light emitter may be angledrelative to the mirror reflective element with a principal beam axis oflight emitted by the second near infrared light emitter being at anangle of greater than 5 degrees and less than 15 degrees relative to aline perpendicular to the mirror reflective element.

The first and second near infrared light emitters may be disposed at aleft-side region of the mirror head. The second near infrared lightemitter may be angled relative to the mirror reflective element with aprincipal beam axis of light emitted by the first near infrared lightemitter being at an angle of greater than 10 degrees and less than 30degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the mirror reflectiveelement. The second near infrared light emitter may be angled relativeto the mirror reflective element with a principal beam axis of lightemitted by the first near infrared light emitter being at an angle ofgreater than 15 degrees and less than 25 degrees relative to a lineperpendicular to the mirror reflective element. The first near infraredlight emitter may be angled relative to the mirror reflective elementwith a principal beam axis of light emitted by the second near infraredlight emitter being at an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the mirror reflectiveelement. The first near infrared light emitter may be angled relative tothe mirror reflective element with a principal beam axis of lightemitted by the second near infrared light emitter being at an angle ofgreater than 5 degrees and less than 15 degrees relative to a lineperpendicular to the mirror reflective element.

When the vehicular driver monitoring system is operating in a drivermonitoring mode, the first near infrared light emitter or the secondnear infrared light emitter may be operated to emit light toward thedriver's region. When the vehicular driver monitoring system isoperating in an occupant monitoring mode, the central near infraredlight emitter and the second near infrared light emitter may be operatedto emit light. Image data captured by the driver monitoring camera foroccupant monitoring may be captured when the first near infrared lightemitter, the central near infrared light emitter and the second nearinfrared light emitter are emitting light. Image data captured by thedriver monitoring camera for driver monitoring may be captured when thefirst near infrared light emitter and the central near infrared lightemitter are emitting light.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theleft hand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring systemis operating in a driver monitoring mode, the first near infrared lightemitter may be pulsed on and off at a first pulse rate. With thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the left handdrive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring system isoperating in the driver monitoring mode, the central near infrared lightemitter may be pulsed on and off at the first pulse rate. With thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the left handdrive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring system isoperating in an occupant monitoring mode, the second near infrared lightemitter may be pulsed on and off at a second pulse rate that isdifferent than the first pulse rate. The second pulse rate may be halfthe first pulse rate. The driver monitoring camera may capture imagedata at a capture rate that corresponds with the first pulse rate.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theright hand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoringsystem is operating in a driver monitoring mode, the second nearinfrared light emitter may be pulsed on and off at a first pulse rate.With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theright hand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoringsystem is operating in the driver monitoring mode, the central nearinfrared light emitter may be pulsed on and off at the first pulse rate.With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theright hand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoringsystem is operating in an occupant monitoring mode, the first nearinfrared light emitter may be pulsed on and off at a second pulse ratethat is different than the first pulse rate. The second pulse rate maybe half the first pulse rate. The driver monitoring camera may captureimage data at a capture rate that corresponds with the first pulse rate.

When the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed orwill be installed in a left hand drive vehicle, the second near infraredlight emitter may not be electrically powered to emit light for thedriver monitoring function. When the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly is installed or will be installed in a right hand drivevehicle, the first near infrared light emitter may not be electricallypowered to emit light for the driver monitoring function.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in a lefthand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for the driver monitoring function, the first near infrared lightemitter may be electrically powered to emit light and the second nearinfrared light emitter may not be electrically powered to emit light.With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theleft hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera capturesimage data for an occupant monitoring function, the second near infraredlight emitter may be electrically powered to emit light. With thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the right handdrive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image datafor the occupant monitoring function, the first near infrared lightemitter may be electrically powered to emit light.

With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in aright hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera capturesimage data for the driver monitoring function, the second near infraredlight emitter may be electrically powered to emit light and the firstnear infrared light emitter may not be electrically powered to emitlight. With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed inthe right hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring cameracaptures image data for an occupant monitoring function, the first nearinfrared light emitter may be electrically powered to emit light. Withthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the righthand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures imagedata for the occupant monitoring function, the second near infraredlight emitter may be electrically powered to emit light.

The driver monitoring system, including the cameras and processor, mayutilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,065,574;10,017,114; 9,405,120 and/or 7,914,187, and/or U.S. Publication Nos.US-2021-0323473; US-2021-0291739; US-2020-0202151; US-2020-0143560;US-2017-0274906; US-2017-0217367; US-2016-0209647; US-2016-0137126;US-2015-0352953; US-2015-0296135; US-2015-0294169; US-2015-0232030;US-2015-0092042; US-2015-0022664; US-2015-0015710; US-2015-0009010and/or US-2014-0336876, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/650,255, filed Feb. 8, 2022 (Attorney Docket MAGO4 P4412), Ser. No.17/649,723, filed Feb. 2, 2022 (Attorney Docket DON01 P4410), and/orSer. No. 17/450,721, filed Oct. 13, 2021 (Attorney Docket MAGO4 P4306),and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/260,359, filed Aug. 18,2021, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/201,894, filed May18, 2021, and/or International PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/070882,filed Mar. 1, 2022 (Attorney Docket DON01 FP4421WO), which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The mirror assembly may include a mirror actuator that positions themirror head at a predetermined or preselected or determined orientationrelative to the driver's head. The mirror assembly and/or mirroractuator may utilize aspects of the mirror systems described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 9,616,815; 7,722,199 and/or 6,698,905, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The mirrorassembly (such as the mounting base) may be mounted at the in-cabin sideof the vehicle windshield or the mirror assembly may be located orattached elsewhere at the vehicle, such as at an overhead console orheadliner of the vehicle or the like.

Optionally, the interior mirror assembly may comprise a dual-modeinterior rearview video mirror that can switch from a traditionalreflection mode to a live-video display mode, such as is by utilizingaspects of the mirror assemblies and systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.10,442,360; 10,421,404; 10,166,924 and/or 10,046,706, and/or U.S.Publication Nos. US-2021-0162926; US-2021-0155167; US-2020-0377022;US-2019-0258131; US-2019-0146297; US-2019-0118717 and/orUS-2017-0355312, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. The electrically operated actuator may provide thememory setting function and may also operate to adjust the mirror headbetween the reflection mode and video display mode, such as responsiveto a user actuatable input in the vehicle or at the mirror assembly(e.g., a toggle or switch or button at the mirror head).

Optionally, the driver monitoring system may be integrated with a cameramonitoring system (CMS) of the vehicle. The integrated vehicle systemincorporates multiple inputs, such as from the inward viewing or drivermonitoring camera and from the forward or outward viewing camera, aswell as from a rearward viewing camera and sideward viewing cameras ofthe CMS, to provide the driver with unique collision mitigationcapabilities based on full vehicle environment and driver awarenessstate. The image processing and detections and determinations areperformed locally within the interior rearview mirror assembly and/orthe overhead console region, depending on available space and electricalconnections for the particular vehicle application.

The CMS cameras and system may utilize aspects of the systems describedin U.S. Publication Nos. US-2021-0245662; US-2021-0162926;US-2021-0155167; US-2018-0134217 and/or US-2014-0285666, and/orInternational PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/070062, filed Jan. 6, 2022,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.The connections between the cameras and the controller or PCB(s) and/orbetween the displays and the controllers or PCBs may be made viarespective coaxial cables, which may provide power and control of thecameras (by the controller) and which may provide image data from thecameras to the controller, and which may provide video images from thecontroller to the display devices. The connections and communicationsmay utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.10,264,219; 9,900,490 and/or 9,609,757, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

The mirror reflective element may comprise a variable reflectanceelectro-optic mirror reflective element, such as an electrochromicmirror reflective element or a liquid crystal mirror reflective element.For example, the mirror reflective element may comprise a laminateconstruction variable reflectance electro-optic (such as electrochromic)reflective element assembly having a front glass substrate and a rearglass substrate with an electro-optic medium (such as electrochromicmedium) sandwiched therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal. Thefront substrate has a front or first surface (the surface that generallyfaces the driver of a vehicle when the mirror assembly is normallymounted at the vehicle) and a rear or second surface opposite the frontsurface, and the rear substrate has a front or third surface and a rearor fourth surface opposite the front surface, with the electro-opticmedium disposed between the second surface and the third surface andbounded by the perimeter seal of the reflective element (such as isknown in the electrochromic mirror art). The second surface has atransparent conductive coating established thereat (such as an indiumtin oxide (ITO) layer, or a doped tin oxide layer or any othertransparent electrically semi-conductive layer or coating or the like,such as indium cerium oxide (ICO), indium tungsten oxide (IWO), orindium oxide (10) layers or the like or a zinc oxide layer or coating,or a zinc oxide coating or the like doped with aluminum or othermetallic materials, such as silver or gold or the like, or other oxidesdoped with a suitable metallic material or the like, or such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety), while the third surface has ametallic reflector coating (or multiple layers or coatings) establishedthereat. The front or third surface of the rear substrate may includeone or more transparent semi-conductive layers (such as an ITO layer orthe like), and one or more metallic electrically conductive layers (suchas a layer of silver, aluminum, chromium or the like or an alloythereof), and may include multiple layers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,274,501; 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The mirror reflector may comprise any suitable coatings or layers, suchas a transflective coating or layer (that is partially transmissive ofvisible light and/or near infrared light and that is partiallyreflective of visible light), such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,626,749; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 6,690,268;5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,511; 5,567,360;5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673; 5,073,012;5,115,346; 5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or 4,712,879,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties,disposed at the front surface of the rear substrate (commonly referredto as the third surface of the reflective element) and opposing theelectro-optic medium, such as an electrochromic medium disposed betweenthe front and rear substrates and bounded by the perimeter seal.Optionally, the mirror reflector could be disposed at the rear surfaceof the rear substrate (commonly referred to as the fourth surface of thereflective element). The driver monitoring camera may be accommodated inthe mirror head and view through the transflective mirror reflectortoward the driver's head region and/or the near IR light emitter may beaccommodated in the mirror head and emit light that passes through thetransflective mirror reflector to illuminate the driver's head region.The transflective mirror reflector may be spectrally tuned so as totransmit or pass a particular spectral band of light (e.g., nearinfrared light) while reflecting other spectral bands of light (e.g.,visible light). The camera may be sensitive to near infrared light, suchthat the near IR light emitter can emit near IR light that passesthrough the transflective mirror reflector and the camera may besensitive to the near IR light that reflects off of the driver's headand passes back through the transflective mirror reflector.

The third surface defines the active EC area or surface of the rearsubstrate within the perimeter seal. The coated third surface may alsobe coated to define a tab-out region (such as by utilizing aspects ofthe mirror assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,274,501; 7,184,190and/or 7,255,451, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties) for providing electrical connection of the conductivelayers to an electrical clip of connector or bus-bar, such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,066,112 and 6,449,082, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The reflective element and mirror casing are adjustable relative to abase portion or mounting assembly to adjust the driver's rearward ‘viewwhen the mirror assembly is normally mounted at or in the vehicle. Themounting assembly may comprise a single-ball or single-pivot mountingassembly, whereby the reflective element and casing are adjustablerelative to the vehicle windshield (or other interior portion of thevehicle) about a single pivot joint, or the mounting assembly maycomprise other types of mounting configurations, such as a double-ballor double-pivot mounting configuration or the like. The socket or pivotelement is configured to receive a ball member of the base portion, suchas for a single pivot or single ball mounting structure or a doublepivot or double ball mounting structure or the like (such as a pivotmounting assembly of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,870;6,593,565; 6,690,268; 6,540,193; 4,936,533; 5,820,097; 5,100,095;7,249,860; 6,877,709; 6,329,925; 7,289,037; 7,249,860 and/or 6,483,438,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties).

The mirror assembly may comprise any suitable construction, such as, forexample, a mirror assembly with the reflective element being nested inthe mirror casing and with a bezel portion that circumscribes aperimeter region of the front surface of the reflective element, or withthe mirror casing having a curved or beveled perimeter edge around thereflective element and with no overlap onto the front surface of thereflective element (such as by utilizing aspects of the mirrorassemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,274,501; 7,255,451;7,289,037; 7,360,932; 7,626,749; 8,049,640; 8,277,059 and/or 8,529,108,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties)or such as a mirror assembly having a rear substrate of an electro-opticor electrochromic reflective element nested in the mirror casing, andwith the front substrate having curved or beveled perimeter edges, orsuch as a mirror assembly having a prismatic reflective element that isdisposed at an outer perimeter edge of the mirror casing and with theprismatic substrate having curved or beveled perimeter edges, such asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,508,831; 8,730,553; 9,598,016 and/or9,346,403, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2014-0313563 and/orUS-2015-0097955, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties (and with electrochromic and prismatic mirrors of suchconstruction are commercially available from the assignee of thisapplication under the trade name INFINITY™ mirror). Optionally, themirror reflective element may comprise a variable reflectivity liquidcrystal (VRLC) reflective element, such as by utilizing aspects of themirror assemblies described in U.S. provisional application Ser. No.63/201,891, filed May 18, 2021, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Optionally, the mirror casing may include a bezel portion thatcircumscribes a perimeter region of the front surface of the reflectiveelement, or the perimeter region of the front surface of the reflectiveelement may be exposed (such as by utilizing aspects of the mirrorreflective elements described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,508,831 and/or8,730,553, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2014-0022390; US-2014-0293169and/or US-2015-0097955, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties).

Although shown as an electro-optic mirror application, it is envisionedthat the mirror assembly may comprise a prismatic reflective element.The prismatic mirror assembly may be mounted or attached at an interiorportion of a vehicle (such as at an interior surface of a vehiclewindshield) via the mounting means described above, and the reflectiveelement may be toggled or flipped or adjusted between its daytimereflectivity position and its nighttime reflectivity position via anysuitable toggle means, such as by utilizing aspects of the mirrorassemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,420,756; 7,338,177; 7,289,037;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,249,860; 6,318,870; 6,598,980; 5,327,288;4,948,242; 4,826,289; 4,436,371 and/or 4,435,042, and/or U.S.Publication No. US-2010-0085653, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more other displays,such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,240 and/or 6,329,925,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties,and/or display-on-demand transflective type displays, and/or videodisplays or display screens, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 8,890,955; 7,855,755; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381;7,184,190; 7,046,448; 5,668,663; 5,724,187; 5,530,240; 6,329,925;6,690,268; 7,734,392; 7,370,983; 6,902,284; 6,428,172; 6,420,975;5,416,313; 5,285,060; 5,193,029 and/or 4,793,690, and/or in U.S. Pat.Pub. Nos. US-2006-0050018; US-2009-0015736; US-2009-0015736 and/orUS-2010-0097469, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

The video display screen may be controlled or operable in response to aninput or signal, such as a signal received from one or more cameras orimage sensors of the vehicle, such as a video camera or sensor, such asa CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or the like, and imageprocessors or image processing techniques, such as utilizing aspects ofthe cameras and image processors described U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677;5,670,935; 5,760,962; 6,690,268; 6,498,620; 6,396,397; 6,222,447;6,201,642; 6,097,023; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,715,093; 6,922,292;6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261;6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580;8,446,470; 8,451,107 and/or 9,126,525, and/or U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos.US-2006-0171704; US-2009-0244361 and/or US-2010-0214791, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The imagingsensor or camera may be activated and the display screen may beactivated in response to the vehicle shifting into reverse, such thatthe display screen is viewable by the driver and is displaying an imageof the rearward scene while the driver is reversing the vehicle. It isenvisioned that the image processor or controller may comprise the likesof an EYEQ™ image processing chip available from Mobileye VisionTechnologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and processes image datacaptured by the forward viewing camera and the driver monitoring camera(and optionally surround view cameras and/or CMS cameras of thevehicle).

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoringsystem comprising: a vehicular interior rearview mirror assemblycomprising a mirror head adjustably attached at a mounting base, themounting base configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicleequipped with the vehicular driver monitoring system; wherein the mirrorhead comprises a mirror reflective element; wherein the mirror headaccommodates electronic circuitry; a driver monitoring cameraaccommodated by the mirror head, wherein the driver monitoring cameramoves in tandem with the mirror head when, with the mounting baseattached at the interior portion of the vehicle, the mirror head isadjusted relative to the mounting base to adjust a rearward view of adriver of the vehicle; a first near infrared light emitter and a secondnear infrared light emitter accommodated within the mirror head, whereinthe first and second near infrared light emitters move in tandem withthe mirror head when, with the mounting base attached at the interiorportion of the vehicle, the mirror head is adjusted relative to themounting base to adjust the driver's rearward view; wherein the firstnear infrared light emitter is accommodated within the mirror head sothat a beam of light emitted by the first near infrared light emitter isdirected toward a driver's region of a left hand drive vehicle when thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in the lefthand drive vehicle and is adjusted by the driver of the vehicle to setthe driver's rearward view; wherein the second near infrared lightemitter is accommodated within the mirror head so that a beam of lightemitted by the second near infrared light emitter, when electricallypowered to emit light, is directed toward a driver's region of a righthand drive vehicle when the vehicular interior rearview mirror assemblyis installed in the right hand drive vehicle and is adjusted by thedriver of the vehicle to set the driver's rearward view; wherein, whenthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed or will beinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle, the first near infrared lightemitter, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light for adriver monitoring function; and wherein, when the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a righthand drive vehicle, the second near infrared light emitter, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emits light for the drivermonitoring function.
 2. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim1, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a processor operable toprocess image data captured by the driver monitoring camera, andwherein, with the mounting base attached at the interior portion of theleft hand drive vehicle or the right hand drive vehicle, the processorprocesses image data captured by the driver monitoring camera todetermine at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) driverattentiveness, (ii) driver drowsiness and (iii) driver gaze direction.3. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the drivermonitoring camera and the first and second near infrared light emittersare accommodated by the mirror head behind the mirror reflectiveelement, and wherein the driver monitoring camera views through themirror reflective element and the first and second near infrared lightemitters, when electrically powered to emit light, emit near infraredlight through the mirror reflective element.
 4. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 3, wherein the driver monitoring camera viewsthrough a transflective mirror reflector of the mirror reflectiveelement, and wherein the first and second near infrared light emitters,when electrically powered to emit light, emit near infrared light thatpasses through the transflective mirror reflector of the mirrorreflective element.
 5. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim4, wherein the mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromicmirror reflective element having a front planar glass substrate and arear planar glass substrate, and wherein the front planar glasssubstrate comprises a first planar glass surface separated from a secondplanar glass surface by a plate thickness dimension of the front planarglass substrate, and wherein the rear planar glass substrate comprises athird planar glass surface separated from a fourth planar glass surfaceby a plate thickness dimension of the rear planar glass substrate, andwherein the second planar glass surface of the front planar glasssubstrate has a transparent electrically conductive coating disposedthereat, and wherein the third planar glass surface of the rear planarglass substrate has the transflective mirror reflector disposed thereat,and wherein an electrochromic medium is disposed between and contactsthe transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at the secondplanar glass surface of the front planar glass substrate and thetransflective mirror reflector disposed at the third planar glasssurface of the rear planar glass substrate.
 6. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 5, wherein the transflective mirror reflectorcomprises alternating thin film layers of Nb₂O₅ and SiO₂.
 7. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the transflectivemirror reflector comprises no more than five layers of Nb₂O₅ and fivelayers of SiO₂.
 8. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 7,wherein the transflective mirror reflector comprises a first layer ofNb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of 37.62 nm, a first layer of SiO₂having a physical thickness of 77.41 nm, a second layer of Nb₂O₅ havinga physical thickness of 40.67 nm, a second layer of SiO₂ having aphysical thickness of 83.25 nm, a third layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physicalthickness of 53.29 nm, a third layer of SiO₂ having a physical thicknessof 96.76 nm, a fourth layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of64.55 nm, a fourth layer of SiO₂ having a physical thickness of 135.11nm, a fifth layer of Nb₂O₅ having a physical thickness of 82.21 nm, afifth layer of SiO₂ having a physical thickness of 68.21 nm, and a layerof ITO having a physical thickness of 120 nm.
 9. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 4, wherein the mirror reflective elementcomprises a prismatic mirror reflective element, and wherein theprismatic mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate, andwherein the glass substrate has a wedge-shaped cross-section having afirst planar glass surface separated from a second planar glass surface,and wherein the plane of first planar glass surface slopes at an anglerelative to the plane of the second planar glass surface, and whereinthe second planar glass surface is an uncoated glass surface, andwherein the transflective mirror reflector is disposed at the secondplanar glass surface of the glass substrate of the prismatic mirrorreflective element.
 10. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim3, wherein the mirror head comprises a stray light blocking elementdisposed between a lens of the driver monitoring camera and the mirrorreflective element.
 11. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim10, wherein the stray light blocking element circumscribes the lens andengages a rear surface of the mirror reflective element to block straylight from entering the lens.
 12. The vehicular driver monitoring systemof claim 11, wherein the stray light blocking element comprises acone-shaped element attached to the driver monitoring camera.
 13. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the stray lightblocking element comprises a flexible cone-shaped element attached tothe driver monitoring camera.
 14. The vehicular driver monitoring systemof claim 1, wherein, with the mounting base attached at the interiorportion of the left hand drive vehicle or the right hand drive vehicle,the driver monitoring camera and the first and second near infraredlight emitters are disposed at a lower region of the mirror head andbelow the mirror reflective element.
 15. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 1, comprising at least one wider beam near infraredlight emitter accommodated within the mirror head, and wherein the atleast one wider beam near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light when the driver monitoring camera captures image data foran occupant monitoring function.
 16. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 15, wherein the first near infrared light emitter isangled relative to the at least one wider beam near infrared lightemitter toward a left side of the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly, and wherein the second near infrared light emitter is angledrelative to the at least one wider beam near infrared light emittertoward a right side of the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly.17. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein thefirst near infrared light emitter is disposed at the left side of the atleast one wider beam near infrared light emitter, and wherein the secondnear infrared light emitter is disposed at the right side of the atleast one wider beam near infrared light emitter.
 18. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the first near infraredlight emitter comprises at least two narrower beam light emittingdiodes, and wherein the second near infrared light emitter comprises atleast two narrower beam light emitting diodes, and wherein the narrowerbeam light emitting diodes emit a narrower beam of light, whenelectrically powered to emit light, as compared to the beam of lightemitted by the at least one wider beam near infrared light emitter whenelectrically powered to emit light.
 19. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 16, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in a left hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the driver monitoringfunction, the first near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light and the second near infrared light emitter is notelectrically powered to emit light.
 20. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 19, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in the left hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the driver monitoringfunction, the at least one wider beam near infrared light emitter iselectrically powered to emit light.
 21. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 19, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in the left hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the driver monitoringfunction, the at least one wider beam near infrared light emitter is notelectrically powered to emit light.
 22. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 19, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in the left hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the occupant monitoringfunction, the second near infrared light emitter and the at least onewider beam near infrared light emitter are electrically powered to emitlight.
 23. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 22, wherein,with the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in theleft hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera capturesimage data for the occupant monitoring function, the first near infraredlight emitter is electrically powered to emit light.
 24. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 16, wherein, with the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly installed in a right hand drivevehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image data forthe driver monitoring function, the second near infrared light emitteris electrically powered to emit light and the first near infrared lightemitter is not electrically powered to emit light.
 25. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 24, wherein, with the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly installed in the right hand drivevehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image data forthe driver monitoring function, the at least one wider beam nearinfrared light emitter is electrically powered to emit light.
 26. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 24, wherein, with thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the right handdrive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image datafor the driver monitoring function, the at least one wider beam nearinfrared light emitter is not electrically powered to emit light. 27.The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 24, wherein, with thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the right handdrive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image datafor the occupant monitoring function, the first near infrared lightemitter and the at least one wider beam near infrared light emitter areelectrically powered to emit light.
 28. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 27, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in the right hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the occupant monitoringfunction, the second near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light.
 29. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1,wherein the electronic circuitry enables the first near infrared lightemitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to indication thatthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed in or willbe installed in a left hand drive vehicle, and wherein the electroniccircuitry enables the second near infrared light emitter for the drivermonitoring function responsive to indication that the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly is installed in or will be installed in a righthand drive vehicle.
 30. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim29, wherein the electronic circuitry enables the first near infraredlight emitter for the driver monitoring function responsive to theindication indicating that the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly is installed in a left hand drive vehicle.
 31. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 30, wherein the indication comprisesan input provided to the electronic circuitry at a vehicle manufacturingfacility where the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isinstalled in the left hand drive vehicle.
 32. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 29, wherein the electronic circuitry enablesthe first near infrared light emitter for the driver monitoring functionresponsive to the indication indicating that the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly will be installed in a left hand drive vehicle.33. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 32, wherein theindication comprises an input provided to the electronic circuitry at amirror manufacturing facility where the vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly is assembled.
 34. The vehicular driver monitoring systemof claim 29, wherein the electronic circuitry enables the second nearinfrared light emitter for the driver monitoring function responsive toindication that the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly isinstalled in a right hand drive vehicle.
 35. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 34, wherein the indication comprises an inputprovided to the electronic circuitry at a vehicle manufacturing facilitywhere the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed inthe right hand drive vehicle.
 36. The vehicular driver monitoring systemof claim 29, wherein the electronic circuitry enables the second nearinfrared light emitter for the driver monitoring function responsive toindication that the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly will beinstalled in a right hand drive vehicle.
 37. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 36, wherein the indication comprises an inputprovided to the electronic circuitry at a mirror manufacturing facilitywhere the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is manufactured.38. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein theelectronic circuitry sets the first near infrared light emitter or thesecond near infrared light emitter for the driver monitoring functionresponsive to an input signal at a vehicle assembly plant where thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is installed at the vehicle.39. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein theelectronic circuitry sets the first near infrared light emitter or thesecond near infrared light emitter for the driver monitoring functionresponsive to an input signal at a mirror manufacturer assembly plantwhere the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is manufactured.40. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein theinterior portion of the vehicle comprises a portion of a windshield ofthe vehicle at an in-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle. 41.The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, comprising anoccupant monitoring camera disposed at a display screen located at anA-pillar at a passenger side of the vehicle.
 42. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 1, wherein the mirror reflective element isattached at a mirror attachment plate, and wherein the driver monitoringcamera and the first and second near infrared light emitters aredisposed behind the mirror attachment plate and are aligned withrespective apertures through the mirror attachment plate.
 43. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 42, comprising a heatdissipating element attached at the mirror attachment plate.
 44. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 43, wherein the mirrorattachment plate and the heat dissipating element encase the drivermonitoring camera, the first and second near infrared light emitters,and the electronic circuitry and function to limit electromagneticinterference of the driver monitoring camera, the first and second nearinfrared light emitters, and the electronic circuitry.
 45. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein image data captured by thedriver monitoring camera is used, with the mounting base attached at theinterior portion of the vehicle, to determine when the driver attemptsto use an infotainment system of the vehicle, and wherein, responsive todetermination that the driver is attempting use the infotainment system,and responsive to the vehicle being operated by the driver, theinfotainment system does not respond to use by the driver of theinfotainment system.
 46. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim1, wherein image data captured by the driver monitoring camera isprocessed to determine a driver gesture, and responsive to determinationof a driver gesture, a garage door opener system of the vehicle isoperated.
 47. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 46,wherein the determined driver gesture comprises the driver holding upone, two or three fingers.
 48. The vehicular driver monitoring system ofclaim 1, comprising a central near infrared light emitter accommodatedwithin the mirror head and disposed between the first near infraredlight emitter and the second near infrared light emitter.
 49. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the first andsecond near infrared light emitters are disposed at a right-side regionof the mirror head.
 50. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim49, wherein the first near infrared light emitter is angled relative tothe mirror reflective element with a principal beam axis of lightemitted by the first near infrared light emitter being at an angle ofgreater than 10 degrees and less than 30 degrees relative to a lineperpendicular to the mirror reflective element.
 51. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 49, wherein the first near infrared lightemitter is angled relative to the mirror reflective element with aprincipal beam axis of light emitted by the first near infrared lightemitter being at an angle of greater than 15 degrees and less than 25degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the mirror reflectiveelement.
 52. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 49, whereinthe second near infrared light emitter is angled relative to the mirrorreflective element with a principal beam axis of light emitted by thesecond near infrared light emitter being at an angle of greater than 0degrees and less than 20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to themirror reflective element.
 53. The vehicular driver monitoring system ofclaim 49, wherein the second near infrared light emitter is angledrelative to the mirror reflective element with a principal beam axis oflight emitted by the second near infrared light emitter being at anangle of greater than 5 degrees and less than 15 degrees relative to aline perpendicular to the mirror reflective element.
 54. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 48, wherein the first and second nearinfrared light emitters are disposed at a left-side region of the mirrorhead.
 55. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 54, whereinthe second near infrared light emitter is angled relative to the mirrorreflective element with a principal beam axis of light emitted by thefirst near infrared light emitter being at an angle of greater than 10degrees and less than 30 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to themirror reflective element.
 56. The vehicular driver monitoring system ofclaim 55, wherein the second near infrared light emitter is angledrelative to the mirror reflective element with a principal beam axis oflight emitted by the first near infrared light emitter being at an angleof greater than 15 degrees and less than 25 degrees relative to a lineperpendicular to the mirror reflective element.
 57. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 55, wherein the first near infrared lightemitter is angled relative to the mirror reflective element with aprincipal beam axis of light emitted by the second near infrared lightemitter being at an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than 20degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the mirror reflectiveelement.
 58. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 55, whereinthe first near infrared light emitter is angled relative to the mirrorreflective element with a principal beam axis of light emitted by thesecond near infrared light emitter being at an angle of greater than 5degrees and less than 15 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to themirror reflective element.
 59. The vehicular driver monitoring system ofclaim 48, wherein, when the vehicular driver monitoring system isoperating in a driver monitoring mode, the first near infrared lightemitter or the second near infrared light emitter is operated to emitlight toward the driver's region.
 60. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 58, wherein, when the vehicular driver monitoring systemis operating in an occupant monitoring mode, the central near infraredlight emitter and the second near infrared light emitter are operated toemit light.
 61. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 60,wherein image data captured by the driver monitoring camera for occupantmonitoring is captured when the first near infrared light emitter, thecentral near infrared light emitter and the second near infrared lightemitter are emitting light.
 62. The vehicular driver monitoring systemof claim 60, wherein image data captured by the driver monitoring camerafor driver monitoring is captured when the first near infrared lightemitter and the central near infrared light emitter are emitting light.63. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 60, wherein, withthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the lefthand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring system isoperating in a driver monitoring mode, the first near infrared lightemitter is pulsed on and off at a first pulse rate.
 64. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 63, wherein, with the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly installed in the left hand drivevehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring system is operating inthe driver monitoring mode, the central near infrared light emitter ispulsed on and off at the first pulse rate.
 65. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 64, wherein, with the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly installed in the left hand drive vehicle, andwhen the vehicular driver monitoring system is operating in an occupantmonitoring mode, the second near infrared light emitter is pulsed on andoff at a second pulse rate that is different than the first pulse rate.66. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 65, wherein thesecond pulse rate is half the first pulse rate.
 67. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 65, wherein the driver monitoring cameracaptures image data at a capture rate that corresponds with the firstpulse rate.
 68. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 59,wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installedin the right hand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular drivermonitoring system is operating in a driver monitoring mode, the secondnear infrared light emitter is pulsed on and off at a first pulse rate.69. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 68, wherein, withthe vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the righthand drive vehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring system isoperating in the driver monitoring mode, the central near infrared lightemitter is pulsed on and off at the first pulse rate.
 70. The vehiculardriver monitoring system of claim 69, wherein, with the vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly installed in the right hand drivevehicle, and when the vehicular driver monitoring system is operating inan occupant monitoring mode, the first near infrared light emitter ispulsed on and off at a second pulse rate that is different than thefirst pulse rate.
 71. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim70, wherein the second pulse rate is half the first pulse rate.
 72. Thevehicular driver monitoring system of claim 70, wherein the drivermonitoring camera captures image data at a capture rate that correspondswith the first pulse rate.
 73. The vehicular driver monitoring system ofclaim 1, wherein, when the vehicular interior rearview mirror assemblyis installed or will be installed in a left hand drive vehicle, thesecond near infrared light emitter is not electrically powered to emitlight for the driver monitoring function.
 74. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 1, wherein, when the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a righthand drive vehicle, the first near infrared light emitter is notelectrically powered to emit light for the driver monitoring function.75. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 1, wherein, with thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in a left handdrive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image datafor the driver monitoring function, the first near infrared lightemitter is electrically powered to emit light and the second nearinfrared light emitter is not electrically powered to emit light. 76.The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 75, wherein, with thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installed in the left handdrive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring camera captures image datafor an occupant monitoring function, the second near infrared lightemitter is electrically powered to emit light.
 77. The vehicular drivermonitoring system of claim 76, wherein, with the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly installed in the right hand drive vehicle, andwhen the driver monitoring camera captures image data for the occupantmonitoring function, the first near infrared light emitter iselectrically powered to emit light.
 78. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 1, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in a right hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for the driver monitoringfunction, the second near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light and the first near infrared light emitter is notelectrically powered to emit light.
 79. The vehicular driver monitoringsystem of claim 78, wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly installed in the right hand drive vehicle, and when the drivermonitoring camera captures image data for an occupant monitoringfunction, the first near infrared light emitter is electrically poweredto emit light.
 80. The vehicular driver monitoring system of claim 79,wherein, with the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly installedin the right hand drive vehicle, and when the driver monitoring cameracaptures image data for the occupant monitoring function, the secondnear infrared light emitter is electrically powered to emit light.